PAN
by Punko McMac
Summary: A drastic re-envisioning of the Peter Pan mythos. Wendy, John, and Michael must cope with a harsh twist of fate, and it's reprocussions. Turning point time, ladies and gents. Fans, this means YOU.
1. Meeting the Hildereds

->-{ PAN }->- 

by Punko McMac   
  
Because of the violence, language, and sexual content in this story, as well   
as the fact that it is so damn long, any younger Peter Pan fans or impatiant   
people out there should turn around right about...   
  
NOW   
  
  
  
last warning...   
  
  
  
  
You have been forwarned. 

  
  
  
->>>-][->>>-   
  
  
The sound of gunfire rings out in the cold night.   
  
Blood spills on the cracked pavement.   
  
A teenager in a red and white hockey jersey and baggy jeans walks over to   
the writhing man on the sidewalk, who is gasping to get air into his   
preforated lungs.   
  
"What I tell you b'fore, you bloody pillock? Don't come in'a my hood again `til   
you payed what'choo owe me. I ain't seen a bit, not a red cent. And did you   
listen?" asks the semi-automatic weilding seventeen year old. The man   
gurgles a plea of mercy, and the boy nudges him with his sneaker. "No, you   
did not. You got the money on you? Huh!?"   
  
"J...joh..." gasps the poor soul. He fumbles for his watch, trying to unlatch it.   
Perhaps this boy will accept a cracked timex as payment. His fingers slip   
over the latch of the watch, slick with dark blood. He looks to the boy he   
owes money, pleading eyes wide.   
  
"Yeah, thought not," snapped the boy as he swings the barrel of his gun to   
the bloodied man's collarbone. The boy clucks his tongue, and empties the   
clip into the gasping man. The body spasms, then lies still, dead.   
  
John Hildered reaches down to the dead man and pulles out his wallet. Empty.   
He spits on the corpse, angry. "Cheap old codger," he says. He pulles the   
Timex from the limp wrist, and kicks the body as he sprints off the scene,   
sirens in the distance.   
  
Suddenly, he stops. He turns around, curiously looking at a small something   
that had just registered his attention. He quickly speeds over to the body   
and pulles a piece of old, yellowed paper from the man's coat. He looks at it,   
and his eyes widen... 

  
->>>-   
  
  
"Come on, luv, eat up," said Wendy. She held a spoonfull of apple sauce to   
her brother's mouth. He lazily looked around and let out a clicking noise.   
Wendy was alone tonight, taking care of her younger brother, Michael. Her   
parents were out at some party, and would likely return home drunk and   
fumbling over each other's clothes. Her older brother, John, was out   
`working', as he put it. Probably roughing up some bag-lady, she thought.   
  
Wendy Hildered was a 17-year old girl with blondish hair and a fair build, and a   
spirit on the verge of breaking. Her parents were never around and when   
they were, they were useless. Her younger brother was severely retarded,   
possibly autistic. And her older brother? The favorite son of the family was a   
hood, he hung out all day and partied all night with his gang friends,   
occasionally pushing drugs on the street or doing something dreadful. They all   
lived in a run down appartment in the bowels of London, paying to a sweaty   
fat man who's accent was uncannily thick, even in to fellow Brits like the   
Hildered family. Life was not kind to these people.   
  
"Wehhhdee," said Michael, and he spit up on himself. Wendy let out an   
exhasperated sigh, and grabbed the dishtowel she carried with her when she   
was in charge of the house. It was never out of use with her little brother.   
She wiped his mouth and let out another sigh.   
  
Faintly, the sound of sirens far away floated from the window. She shook her   
head. "This isn't a neighbour hood for you, Mike. We deserve better," she   
said quietly, and tried to feed him again. He took the spoon into his mouth,   
and weakly moved his jaws around the spoon. "No, don't chew it... Swallow,   
luv."   
  
Michael swallowed the apple sauce and coughed. He slowly turned his head   
towards the door, and his eyes widened for a second. Then, he lolled back to   
reality and decided it was time to sleep. He got up off the beaten couch and   
took a step forward, falling straight onto his face.   
  
Wendy rushed over. Their parents had wanted to put the poor boy into an   
orphanage, to be someone else's problem. Wendy had demanded they take   
responsibility for him, so her parents simply said `you want `im, you got him,   
child. Don't bother us with his problems though." As such, Wendy had become   
a the single mother and official burden of the broken home family. Still, she   
tried her best to help Michael; she tried to teach him how to speak and how   
to walk, but he was still having troubles.   
  
Wendy helped Michael to his feet, and lead him towards his room. On her way,   
she heard heavy footsteps running down the hallway outside the cramped   
appartment. Her brother, John, was most likely returning from getting drunk   
or high with friends. She let out a deep breath. Don't breath in any air when   
you're right next to him and you'll do fine, she thought to herself.   
  
"Wendy! You 'ave gotta see this, you won' fuckin' believe it!!" shouted John as   
he blasted through the door, half out of breath. She turned around and gave   
him a glaring look, as she helped Michael into his room. John stood huffing by   
the door as she laid her brother down in his bed and tucked him in.   
  
"Guhhh, guhhh naaaah," mumbled Michael. He weakly brushed Wendy's arm   
with a limp hand and beemed dozily. She smiled.   
  
"Good night, Michael," she said, in return. She turned off his blue lamp and   
closed the door. She turned to her other brother, John, the hoodlum. "So   
where have you been all night?" she said with a slight snap, then shook her   
head. "Okay, stupid question. Here's a better one, what have you been   
smoking all night?"   
  
"Oh, I ain't up on nothing, so sod off," he chuckled breathlessly, and moved   
to the trashed living room of the appartment. He slid magazines and dishes   
off the table, onto the floor. Wendy shook her head angrily and began to snap   
something at him when he raised his hand, "shush! Lookit what I found!!"   
  
He slapped a yellowed, ancient looking piece of paper down on the table. A   
map. He looked at it, then at Wendy, and back at the old paper. "It's a map!"   
  
"I know it's a map, Johnny," she sighed and shook her head. She could see   
blood faintly on his pant leg, still drying. "Where did you get it, I'm afraid to   
ask..."   
  
"Look at it, dammit! It's a map of London, but with all these other streets or   
somethin', see? These aren't in London, but they're there on that map!!" he   
fingered a red line on the map leading to a large bridge that ran over a river.   
"See? It says there's a road going from that bridge straight out to the river,   
to an X!! X marks the goddamn spot, sis! Could be treasure. Could be rich!!"   
  
"Could be drowned like a rat in that river, stupid. Where did you get this?"   
she asked exhasperatedly. He shook his head and gave her a look she'd seen   
before, a look of almost-but-not-quite-shame. "Goddammit, Johnathan!! What   
did you do!? You shoot somebody? You KILL somebody??"   
  
"Jesus H., Wendy, crawl out of my arse, will ye? I got a map that leads to   
something great, that's all `at matters!! We can be outta this shit-can and   
out bling-blingin' it... if we follow it!!"   
  
"Oh, right, Mr. Adventure. And how do you know it's any kind of riches or   
bank or bling or whatever-the-hell you call it!? It's prol'ly bullshit!!!"   
  
"I...can just.... I feel it, in my bones. Just... Trust me on this, sis. You, and   
me, and Michael, and mum and dad can be GONE from this life in a matter of a   
day if this is what I feel it is. Something special. Something..."   
  
"Yeah," muttered Wendy. She turned around and looked out the window at   
nothing in particular. "Something."   
  
  
->>>-   
  
  
"It's ten thirty, Tink. The boat leaves soon."   
  
`we wait. the bones said they will come tonight, so we wait.'   
  
  
->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	2. The Path is Found

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Dammit, I can't believe I let you talk me into this," Wendy muttered. She sat in the passenger seat of a rusted out Bently, head propped on her arm and looking out the dirty window at the lights and darkness of London. She turned her gaze over to her brother, who was hunched over the wheel intently. 

"Buu-boo-booo, weh..." Michael burbled in his sleep, from the back seat. The once tasteful leather interior had been ripped and stained and marred to the point where it resembled some great stuffing-animal, ripped apart by a bear and shat upon by birds. 

"And you had to drag Michael too...! You're just...God!" yelled Wendy exhasperatedly. She turned and looked long and hard her brother. He was exhibiting a determination that she had never seen in him before. He hadn't even touched the radio to listen to his usual mix of rap and heavy metal. Wendy sighed, and then spoke quietly, "you really think there's something out there, don't you?" 

"I gotta say yes, Wendy. I can feel it. Balls to bone." 

"But what?" 

"I don't know... Treasure, maybe?" 

"Oh right, pirate treasure. So you can go hopping around town paying girls to suck you off with dabloons instead of cash you swiped from some old man." 

" 'ats funny, Wendy. Real funny," John snapped. He sighed, and pulled into an alleyway. He turned the engine off, and brought his gun up to where he could grab it quickly in the event of a situation. He turned around and gave his sister a look of stern determination. "Look, I don't know what it is that's out there. I just.... I just know it's out there. It's something special, something we're never gonna see again in our whole lives unless we go tonight. I feel it, Wendy." 

She exhaled, and looked back at Michael. He was still asleep in the back, strapped in with two seat belts, head lolling back. His breathing was shallow, occasionally punctuated with gurgles or moans. Wendy shook her head and closed her eyes. "Balls to bone, eh?" 

"Balls to bone." 

"..." 

"...Wendy?" 

"Okay."   


->>>-   


The car pulled onto the old bridge at an ungodly hour of the morning. John turned the engine off and stepped out of the car. He pulled a cigarette pack from his back pocket and put one to his lips. 

"Don't you light that thing," Wendy said, weary. She pulled the cigarette from his mouth and chucked it into the dark of night. 

"What the--? Oh, fine. You don't want me sucking on a cancer stick, fine," said John as he rolled his eyes. He put the pack back in his pocket, and sighed. He then reached into his winter-vest and pulled out a small joint. He chuckled as he lit the marijuana. 

"Oh for the love of... God, nevermind," Wendy muttered. John took a small drag and smiled at her. He exhaled the white smoke and let out a small cough. 

"You think I'm gonna be straight-headed at this hour in the fuckin' morning? You the one tha's high! Heheh-he!" 

Wendy looked around the bridge. No vehicles anywhere in seeing or hearing distance. She looked over the edge of the bridge, to the murky waters far below. The small waves lapped up onto a grungy beach-head near the base of one of the bridge's support beams. A small dingy boat was laying up against the shore. It looked ancient and decrepid. A dragon's head was carved into the front of the boat, viking-style. 

"What the hell?" she whispered. "John, where does that road lead to?" 

"What?" asked John, slightly dazed. He looked around, "what road? This is a bridge." 

"On your map, you dumb arse! That road you said was on there! Where does it lead to?" 

"Oh," he sighed. He pulled the map out of his vest, and opened it. He looked at it, squinted, then turned the map around 180 degrees. "Heh, didn't think the road led straight up. Lessee.... It leads... down there." 

He pointed over the edge of the bridge, towards the boat. Wendy did a double take, and looked at him. "So it just shows a path straight from here to there?" He nodded. "You daffy idiot! Look at that! There's no path!! It's a frigging twenty, thirty foot drop from the bridge to the end of your 'path', and straight into that filthy water! Dumbass! God, I could be sleeping now!!" John sniffed and took another drag of his joint. "Put that shit down and look at me!! What were you thinking, dragging me and Michael out here at three in the goddamn morning!?" She yelled. "What was I thinking, coming along!? Jesus!" 

She grabbed the map frustratedly and gave John a look of blazing anger. "This is a crock!! Who ever you stole this from, you did it for nothing, because this IS nothing! Nonsense!!" she yelled, and scrunched the map into a ball. 

"Hey!" protested John, but he was too late. Wendy threw the ball of paper over the edge of the bridge. He ran to the edge, trying to grab ahold of it before it fell. But to no avail. It floated down through the air, spinning. 

And it suddenly stopped. Bounced, twice. Rolled to a stop, in mid air. 

"What the bloody 'ell?" whispered John. Wendy glanced over the side, then spun around. 

"What the...!? It's just hanging there!" she blurted. A gust of wind swept by them, and blew at the ball of paper. It rolled to the left a bit, then rolled downwards at a slant towards the beach-head. As if it was on some kind of invisible slope. "Amazing," whispered Wendy. 

John shook his head in amazement, and looked at his joint. "This is some crazy shit!" he said as he took a deep drag. 

The ball came to a stop at the beach, and was washed into the bay by the lapping waves on the shore. The wind blew again, and shadows shifted under the light of the moon. 

There was a cloaked man standing by the boat, in the shadows. 

"Jesus!" yelped Wendy, as she grabbed John and pulled him down with her behind the bridge's railing. "Who the hell is that??" 

"Dunno, maybe a leprechaun?" whispered John, clutching his marijuana. 

"WHAT?!" hollered Wendy, who then shot her hand to her mouth. 

"Y'know... Leprechaun. They guard treasures or some shit like that," whispered John as he took a shakey drag on his joint, nearly finishing it.   


"Give me that, it's killed your bloody brain," Wendy snapped quietly as she grabbed the joint from him and threw it over the side of the bridge. 

It, too, stopped in mid air, landing on some unseen path. 

Path. 

"Oh my God. That's the path on the map," whispered Wendy. Her eyes went wide. "Oh my God, oh my God, that stupid thing was right, holy shit, we'er going to be rich!!!" 

"We are? You mean I was right?? Woah," said John in a daze. 

"You were right!! Oh my God, this is amazing!" giggled Wendy, hyperventilating. She shook her hands in excitement. 

"Fuckin' A, I was right," chuckled John. "Get Mikey, we're heading down."   


->>>-   


"So who goes first?" asked Wendy. The three of them stood on the bridge's edge, preched precariously over the waters. The smoldering joint was still lying there, seemingly hovering above the dark, filthy river. John and Wendy were on either side of Michael, holding him up. 

"Doubters first," whispered John. 

"Bullshit, you found the map, you made the discovery. Far be it from me to hold you back from your discovery," whispered Wendy back sarcastically. 

As the two argued in whispers, they failed to see the cloaked man raise a hand in the darkness. His armored fingers curled into a fist, and his pointer finger slowly bent outward. He motioned for one of them to come forward. 

"I ain't going! I'm high, I might get dizzy and fall off," whispered John to his sister heatedly. 

"Well that's your own fault! Besides, it's your drugs hovering there, go get it!!" whispered Wendy back. The two kept exchanging arguements in low voices, when all of a sudden, Michael broke free of their grasp and took a step off the bridge. 

"MICHAEL!!!" screamed Wendy. 

He fell forward off the bridge, and tumbled through the air. He hit the invisible path with a thud and a gurgle. There he was, floating in mid air, it seemed. 

"Oh Jesus, Michael, baby, come back," cried Wendy. She reached for him, nearly falling off the bridge herself. John grabbed her and held her back. 

"Wait. Watch," he said in amazement. 

The boy stood up, and stumbled down the invisible path, slowly making his way down to the dirty, garbage riddled beach. The man continued to motion, moving his hand in John and Wendy's direction. 

Michael made the final step off the path, and onto the beach. His ripped up sneakers sunk into the wet sand, and his balance faltered. The cloaked man reached out and grabbed Michael by the shoulder, keeping him up-right. 

"No, get away from him," squeaked Wendy, unable to raise her voice higher than a hoarse whisper. Tears streaked down her face. "Get away from my little brother." 

"I will not hurt the boy," said the cloaked man in a deep, booming voice. Wendy let out a gasping sob, and reached her hand out for her brother. "Come down, walk the path. You will be safe," said the ominous figure. 

Wendy slowly crawled over the railing and fell to the invisible path. She ran down the unseen bridge to the beach, and snatched her brother away from the man. "W-who the fuck are you!?!" 

"My name is un-important. My duties are not. Please, time is not a thing to be wasted. Get in the boat," he replied. He turned towards the boat, and motioned with his hand towards the boat. He wore a metal gauntlet, like the kind found on a suit of medievil armor. 

"Hows about you give us a fuckin clue first, cape-boy," snapped John. He had made his way down the path, and had a 9mm pointed at the back of the cloaked man's head. In his other hand was a duffelbag full of weapons and clothes. 

"Clues, there are none. This is not a riddle. Get in the boat, time is of the essence," he replied in his deep voice. 

"Oh, don't give me this Yoda crap! Answers, bitch! Give 'em!!!" snapped John. 

The cloaked man turned around and casually reached for John's gun. He grabbed the sliding top of it, and pulled it off. He then threw the top half of the gun into the river. 

John stood there and gaped. He stuttered, "J-jesus, yer not gonna fuckin' kill me, are ya?" 

"That is not my duty. Come, into the boat. NOW." 

The three teenagers piled into the boat one by one, quietly. They eyed this cloaked figure with fear and confusion. He pulled a long oar, carved from what looked like human bones, and started rowing out into the river. 

"The map you possessed was originally meant for another. Your arrival was not originally meant to be. However, fate is not carved in stone. Bid farewells to your old life," said the cloaked man as he rowed. 

"What the hell're you babblin' about?!" snapped John. 

"The map belonged to someone else. However, you killed Slightly," replied the cloaked one. 

"John! Jesus Christ..." muttered Wendy. 

"What d'you mean, I killed slightly!? When I cap a motherfucker, I go all th' way. hard core shit, man. Just like I'ma gunna cap YOUR ass in a second if you don't stop this mysterioso shit. And I ain't gonna be killing you 'slightly'!" yelled John. The cloaked one stopped rowing. He turned to John, who was pulling another gun, a small revolver, from his duffelbag. 

An armored hand reached out as John cocked his weapon and grabbed his arm. The cloaked man lifted John up and into the air. He dangled John over the murky waters of the river by his arm, displaying inhuman strength. 

"You murdered a Lost Boy named Slightly. He was given that map to make his way home after many years in your land, but you killed him and stole the map. While this was forseen by others, it was still an unfortunate turn of events. A turn that I do not like. Do not trivialize his death, or threaten me, again. While I am bound by my duties to see you on your way alive, I have no problem with helping you find out what your left testicle tastes like beforehand. So do not 'fuck' with me, BOY." 

With that, he dumped John back into the boat. He returned to his rowing, and did not speak another word. The three Hildered children huddled in the back of the boat, cold and afraid. 

This was not the fortune they expected.   


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	3. The Shores of Neverland

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Where are we?" asked Wendy. 

The cloaked man gave no response. He simply continued paddling, staring at what looked like a light tied to a wire or something, hanging off the front of the boat. They had been in the creaky old boat for over three hours now. Michael was asleep in the centre of the boat, and John was at the back brooding. Wendy was at the front, trying to gather any information she could on the cloaked man or the boat. She stared at him for a minute. 

He looked out to the foggy river, at that peculiar light. It hung at least two feet above the water, but from where Wendy was sitting, the wire looked more like string. She couldn't see any source of power for this mysterious light. But she could tell why the cloaked man seemed so transfixed on it. It's light shone and shifted, colors fading in and out of the otherwise yellow glow. 

"Sir? Where are we??" she asked again. And again, nothing. He simply stroaked at the water again with the bone paddle. She looked at it, then back at him, and shuddered. She slowly moved to the back of the boat, to where John sat. 

"You get anything from that asshole?" asked John, exhasperated. He ran a finger up the bridge of his nose. 

"No. Whoever that freakshow is, he's the silent type," replied Wendy. She rubbed her arms, trying to stave off the cold of the river. Fog surrounded them, and with it came a strange penetrating cold. 

"Phhsh, wasn't so silent when *I* asked him anything. Shite-head," muttered John. Wendy closed her eyes, trying to get a grip on the situation. 

Michael coughed and rolled over, right off the wooden beach he was sleeping on. Wendy quickly rushed over to him. He had barely woken up from the fall. "Wehhh," he said, lazily waving his hand at Wendy. "Hahhh, haahhhhheeee." 

Wendy smiled at him and sqeezed his hand, "hi to you too." 

"Wehhdee, wheeh... whehhh ahh ... arrrr...." Michael stuttered, unable to form his words. 

"Where are we?" asked Wendy, looking deep into his eyes. He smiled dozily and nodded. 

"I don't know, luv... I don't know."   


***   


As dawn broke, the fog slowly parted, creeping back to the farther reaches of the murky water. As the fog cleared, the Hildereds saw something which filled them with awe and fear. 

"I don't think we're on the river anymore," gasped Wendy. 

A gigantic tropical island rose up from the horizon, mountains and cliffs jutting up from the millions of trees, scraping at the grey clouds. Flocks of strange birds flew through the air, sounding sweet songs and unusual caws. Blue waves lapped all around them, and the occasional fish could be seen swimming close to the surface. The cloaked man stopped paddling and let the boat coast. The light in front of the boat had not dimmed, but seemed to grow brighter in the presance of this strange island. 

"Oh my god," whispered Wendy. She put a hand to Michael's shoulder as he made a gurgling giggle. 

"That's a fucking big island!!" yelled John, startling Wendy and Michael. She slapped him on the arm, and looked back at the island. 

The boat cut through the waves with grace, approaching a beach on the island at rapid speeds. The cloaked man stood fast, not paddling, not preparing for the boat's stop, just standing, unmoving. 

"Uhhh, sir...? Sir!? Hey, cape guy!! Lookoouutttt....!!!!" 

The boat crashed onto the shore with a massive crash. Planks split, and the boat broke almost in two. The three of them fell forward, water spilling in around them. Wendy spit out salty sea water, and looked up at the cloaked man. 

"Hey, you bloody twit, what the hell're you tryin' to--" snapped John as he grabbed the cloaked man and stared into his hood. "Holy Christ...!" he yelped and stumbled backwards, falling out of the small broken boat. He inched away from the boat slowly. 

"What is it?" asked Wendy slowly, reaching carefully for the cloaked man's shoulder. She slowly turned him around, and found that the cloaked man who had ordered them in the boat earlier that night, who had been strong enough to lift John up and hold him over the edge of the boat with one arm, was dead. And decomposing. 

"Y'eaagghh!!" yelped Wendy as she, too, fell back. "Holy Christ is right... Oh my god, look at him!" 

"Yeah, no thank you! I got a close 'nuff look at him before," replied John. He shuddered. "What the hell happened to him!?" 

"I...don't know. He looks like he's been dead for years. The eyes and hair have fallen out, and the skin's gone grey... Look, there's bone showing through in places!" 

"Yeah, that's nice," muttered John sarcastically. "You know, you're doing wonders for my appetite." 

"Amazing... he has thirty or forty YEARS worth of decomposition! B-but we saw him moving around before! He was talking! This, this is bloody amazing," stammered Wendy. She ran a hand down his cloak, feeling bones through the fabric instead of muscle. "I wonder if he was like this before?" 

"What the hell do you mean, 'before'? Corpses don't bloody talk, Wendy! If they did, the bobbies would have my ass already," snapped John. He stood up on the beach, brushing sand off his jeans. 

Wendy continued exploring the stiff standing corpse. She tried to lift his cloak to see if he was a skeleton underneath, when his gauntlet fell to the floor of the boat with a thud. 

"Oop, his glove came off," chirped Wendy, amazed beyond horror. "Oh, gross...!" 

"What?" asked John, spinning around. Wendy pulled a boney fore arm and hand out of the gauntlet. John made a face, and Wendy threw the arm into some nearby bushes. 

"EeEeUuUgh." 

'are ye going to stand around all day and talk talk talk?' asked a small, female voice with a irish accent. 

"Woah, who's 'at!?" shouted John, pulling a small knife out of his shirt sleeve. He looked around, seeing only his sister and brother on the beach. 

'ye call that a sword, boy? put that thing away.' 

"Sword? Ain't no sword, who e'er you are, but I'll cut'choo all the same," snapped John. He made stabbing motions with the knife. 

The light that had been tied to the front of the boat snapped the string all of a sudden and flew towards John at an extreme speed. 

"AAAAHHHHHHHH!" John shouted as he jumped back once, twice, three times, trying to evade the flying light. 

'quit jumping around. i won't hurt ye, dumbarse.' 

The light stopped flying around, and dimmed a little. John squinted, and let out a gasp. 

"Wehhh...! WENDY!!! Get over here, check this shit out!!!" hollered John as he dropped the knife to the sand absent-mindedly. 

Wendy jumped out of the boat and ran up to John and the floating light. The light was not a light at all, but a very small person! A female person, in fact, wearing not much of anything except a pair of translucent, glowing insect wings on her back. She had a small, lean body with a fair complexion and traces of muscles. Smooth, red hair flowed behind her head, caught in perpetual anti-gravity. 

'go jerk into a bush, knife-boy. quit staring.' 

John shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. When he opened them, the nude pixie was still there. He let out a string of half-formed curses and whispered squeeks. 

"Wow," whispered Wendy, reaching to touch the glowing wings. The small woman slapped her hand away with incredible strength for her size. Wendy shook her hand and asked, "what are you?" 

'i'm a pixie, dammit! haven't ye ever seen a pixie before??' 

John and Wendy gave the small pixie a matching pair of blank stares. 

'ach, stupid kids... SIRUS!!!' 

The small pixie flew high into the air, and shouted again. John and Wendy moved closer to each other, then started back towards the boat. Michael was slowly crawling his way out of there. 

"Greetings," said a teenager coming from the treeline. He looked roughly 18 or 19, of Navajo decent, with long hair in three braids. He was dressed in loose pants and a poncho. Well, the poncho was actually a wolf's hide with a hole in the centre for the teenager's head. He was carrying a large bo-staff with a coconut-club on the top. 

"Ok, who da fuck are you!?" snapped John at the newcomer. He pointed at the pixie, high in the air, "what da fuck was that!?" He opened his arms wide, "where da fuck is this place!?" He started jumping up and down, hollering and hooting, "what da fuck fuck fuckiddy fuckfuck!!!???!!!" 

>WHACK 

The newcomer smacked John on the top of the head with his staff. John sputtered and landed on his butt. "You should watch your tongue, there's a lady present." 

Wendy blushed a little, and stepped back. "Who are you? What is this place?" 

"My name is Sirus, I am an ambassador of sorts, to the few who come to this place," he replied. "And this," he waved his arm at the rest of the island, "is Neverland. Or NeverNeverland, if you choose to live on the other side of the island." 

"Whu...what?" stuttered Wendy. Her legs felt weak. 

"This is what is known to a few as Neverland. It is an island in the Agean Sea, which ceased to be known as the Island Thira about three and a half thousand years ago, due to volca--" 

"God! Speak some fuckin' english!" blurted John. He looked at Wendy and Michael and nodded, seeking agreement. 

"Ahem. Fine. This is Neverland. Follow me, or fend for yourselves," said Sirus curtly. He tapped his staff on the sand, turned around, and began walking into the treeline. 

"Wait! Who runs this island? Is it American or European or what...?" asked Wendy. 

"For all intents and purposes, this Island does not exist to the outside world. Who runs this island? That is a difficult question," he said slowly. "Follow me." 

With that, he turned to the trees and began walking. The strange pixie-creature flew down from the sky and started flying beside him, keeping him company. Wendy looked at her brothers, and gave them a 'we-should-do-what-he-says' look. She and John grabbed Michael and helped him along as they followed behind Sirus. 

"You should keep close if you have chosen to follow us, this forest is not the most hospitable place," called Sirus from ahead of them. He was pushing branches and vines out of his way, sending small creatures, monkeys and birds, scurrying. 

"What do you mean? Not hospitable... you mean there's dangerous animals here?" asked Wendy, as she helped Michael over a tree root jutting up from the ground. John shook his head. 

"Yeah, right. Lions and tigers and bear shite, oh my. I ain't afraid a' no beasties," he said sarcastically. 

A feral howl rang out through the dense forest. Wendy jumped, and John reflexivley reached for his knife. It had sounded like a hissing-roar, from something quite big. 

"Then stay and keep that beast company," chuckled Sirus as he and the pixie walked through the forest with confidence. 

John looked at Wendy and gulped. She gave her brothers a worried look and whispered to them, "this place isn't normal..." 

'no,' said the pixie as she zoomed in front of their faces, glowing brightly in the shade of the trees. 'it's definately not.'   


->>>-   
  



	4. Nosferatu Attack

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Jesus H. man, this is some way trippy shite. First that dead bloke with the cape, then that fire-fly from hell, now this Indian motherfucker and the noisy animals gonna come and rip a bloke a new one ... this shit's too much for a guy to take, man," whispered John. He and his siblings were following about ten feet behind Sirus and the pixie. Wendy elbowed him in the side, and put a finger to her lips. 

"They can probably hear you, you dumb ass!" she whispered back. 

'we can,' said the pixie. She let out a faint laugh and flew in a circle around Sirus. 

"Oh, great," whispered Wendy. She shifted uncomfortably as they walked through the dense jungle of trees. "Umm, what was that we heard? The animal?" 

"Probably an wyrm. Or maybe a komodo. They grow fairly large on this side of the island," replied Sirus with minimal interest. 

"A worm?? What kind of worm makes that noise? What kind makes ANY noise!?" blurted John. Sirus chuckled and spun his staff once as he turned around to face the Hildereds. 

"You're thinking of a worm, a dirt eater. Wyrms don't eat dirt. They eat you," he said matter-of-factly and turned back around. "You'd best stay closer. It's a long walk to Jungendstadt, and there are many things that are dangerous on the way." 

"What is Jungendstadt?" asked Wendy as the trio moved closer to Sirus and the pixie. 

"It's home to the Lost Boys. Jungendstadt means Youth-City, and that's pretty much what it is," replied Sirus. Wendy gave John a confused look and turned back to Sirus. 

"What do you mean?" 

'use your head, what does it sound like? no one grows old there,' snapped the pixie. 

Wendy was shocked. "Hey, don't give ME a hard time, luv! I don't need that greif, I've been through kind of a jarring night and I'm a little pissed, so step off, Thumbellina!" 

The pixie spun around and zoomed right upto Wendy's face. 'the name's tinkerbell, bitch! don't be talkin' to me that way, or i'll feed ye to one o' these beasties yuir so afraid of. or mebbe i'll do the job meself!' she snapped. She opened her little mouth to reveal two very imposing rows of needle sharp teeth. 'so YOU go an' step off, sister, you go an' step off a cliff!' 

"Please, calm down, Tink'," chuckled Sirus. He gave the pixie a funny smile, and she groaned. Tinkerbell turned back to Wendy, and jumped forward, startling Wendy. She then flew back to Sirus's side. 

"Jesus," whispered Wendy. She looked at John. He was holding back laughter. "What are you grinnin' about?" 

"You got told by a tiny naked chick, heehee!" replied John. He giggled to himself. 

'pixie! i'm a bloody pixie!!' 

John shut up right quick. Wendy shook her head, and renewed her grasp on Michael's shoulders, helping him over the difficult terrain.   


***   


Night was approaching, and they had still not arrived at 'Jungendstadt'. They had walked through three jungle areas, two lagoons, and a cave, yet this city was still no where in sight. All that lied ahead were trees, more trees, and the dark of dusk. 

"Blimey, where is this god damn place!? My feet are killing me," whined Wendy. She and John had had to resort to carrying Michael about an hour ago, after the boy fell asleep while walking and refused to wake up. Sirus and Tinkerbell had remained at a steady pace the whole day, never faltering. 

"Not to much farther, but be quiet. It's getting darker, beasts will soon go out to hunt," said Sirus in a low voice. He walked with silent steps over broken branches and mounds of leaves. Tinkerbell flew silently, too. The only source of sound in the group was the three Hildereds, treading as quietly through the forest as a bull in a china shop, compared to the two locals. 

"Christ, I was threatening to cap somebody earlier, but if this hiking bull shit don't let up, I'ma gon' cap meself!" whispered John. Wendy let out a small laugh, betraying the weariness that crept in to her soul. 

They all continued their trek through the forest, treading as quietly as possible. Then, without warning, a sound was heard. Everyone tensed up, and Sirus spun his staff in his hands, ready for an attack of any kind. Michael let out another moan, and awoke. 

"Oh, luv, you gave us a scare," whispered Wendy to her groggy brother. Sirus shook his head, and straightened his staff to the ground again. 

"Wehh, weee ihhhh fohrehhh," mumbled Michael. Wendy shook her head. That couldn't have been right. It sounded like he said something about their surroundings, but Michael was too mentally disabled to make any kind of statement like that. She ran her hand through his hair and smiled at him. 

She stopped when a blade lightly poked her in the back of the neck. She spun around, and found a young boy, not older than ten, in a tree, pointing a pike at her. 

"Who goes there now?" he whispered, a hint of anger or excitement in his voice. 

"Just us, Erid," whispered Sirus. The boy in the tree pulled back his pike, and smiled. 

"These are the ones, then, ey?" snickered the boy. John flipped him off, and was about to say something uncalled-for when a piercing feral cry rang through the night. 

"What the motherfuck is that?" whispered John to Sirus. Tinkerbell flew straight up into the darkening sky, then down again. She moved close to Sirus and said something. 

"Erid, get to Jungendstadt, tell them to bar up. Nosferatu," Sirus whipsered to the boy in the tree. He nodded, and sprang from the tree like a monkey, swinging from branch to branch towards the deep of the jungle. 

Another cry rang out in the night air, and Sirus spun his staff and twisted something in the centre of it. Three blades spiked out of the coconut-club end of his staff, and he gave his guests a grim look. "Follow me, we must get to the city quickly." 

With that, he took off, running and jumping through the leaves and wood and vines. The Hildereds did their best to keep up, but were falling behind, unable to maneuver through the trees very well with Michael between them. 

'hurry yuir self up! you want to be caught by a nos'??' snapped Tinkerbell as she sped by them. 

"What the hell is a nos!? What're those noises?? Jesus McGee, what da fuck's goin' on???" sputtered John. He pulled his knife out and kept it close to him as they moved. 

'that's not going to do ye much good, sweetheart, unless ye plan on stickin' yeself 'fore the nosferatu get ye.' 

"Nosferatu...aren't those.... vampires?" gasped Wendy. Tinkerbell rolled her small eyes. 

'yeah, something like that, whatever gets ye movin'. speaking of which, move!' 

Another shreik rang out, this time closer. They heard a rustling in the trees, the flapping of wings, and then the boy, Erid, let out a scream. 

"Daffy muh'erfuckers! Let me down!!!" he hollered as he was lifted into the night sky by one of the strangest creatures Wendy had ever seen. It had the basic body of a man, save for the gigantic wings for arms and it's very small legs. It was covered in a shiney coat of fine brown hair, and it's head was a slick spade, with glowing red eyes and a mouth full of jagged teeth. 

"Let...me...dowwwweeeaaAAAAAARRGHHHH!!!!" screamed Erid as the beast ripped into him with it's teeth, still flying into the sky. Another one, just like it, soared from out of no where and ripped the bottom half of the pike-weilding boy off in one smooth fly-by, and soared away with it. 

"DAMN!!!" bellowed Sirus, readying his staff. Another great bat-like creature swooped down from out of no where towards Sirus. The beast let out a shriek and opened it's fang filled mouth wide. Sirus ducked at the last minute and swung his staff, catching the beast in the side of the head. The staff's spikes tore into the creature, and sent it spinning into the night sky, howling. 

"Go! The city is there," yelled Sirus, pointing to a thickness in the forest, where tall, thick trees grew. "I will be right behind you!" 

Wendy and John hefted Michael onto their shoulders and began running. They yelped and ducked as another winged beast flew in low to try and grab one of them. It soared over their heads and into the moonlit night, letting out a bellowing shreik. It let out a graceful spin, and turned around for another swoop. 

"Oh, fuck this!" growled John as he ripped open his duffel bag and pulled out a semi-automatic. He fired a short burst at the fast-approaching Nosferatu. The beast let out a squeal, and fell. It's momentum left it spinning and rolling on the ground, coming up fast towards John. "What the-- what the shit? Yeeahhhh!!!" hollered John as he jumped out of the way. The beast skidded across the ground and hit a tree with a thud. It groaned, and rolled over. Bluish black oozed from it's gunshot wounds, and it tried to take off again. John ran up to it and fired again and again, until it stopped writhing, finally dead. "Fuckin' A!" 

"Taught that motherfuck...!" said John as he turned around. A nosferatu swooped down and kicked him in the chest with both clawed feet, sending him flying. He hit a tree with a thud, and fell onto the corpse of the bat-creature he'd just killed. 

"John!!" screamed Wendy. She rushed over to him, and tried to lift him from the carcass. In the confusion, she had totally forgotten about Michael. He wandered about, occasionally avoiding swooping nosferatu by mere inches. He gazed about, amazed by all the pretty flying things. 

"Oh no....MICHAEL!!!" screamed Wendy with all her might. He didn't move, and a nosferatu was on a direct course to take off his head. 

She jumped up from her injured brother and ran, ran as fast as she could. She jumped, and tackled her little brother, the nosferatu flying just overhead, snapping at her heels. The two of them hit the forest floor, and Wendy let out a cough. She glanced up, and saw Sirus smack another flapping beast with his staff. The creature let out a groan, and it faltered in it's flight, eventually gliding into a tree. Wendy looked up, to where Tinkerbell was evading two hungry nosferatu. The sky was full of them, a good twenty flying in circles and patterns, searching for food. The occasional one would swoop down to nab an animal out of a tree or off the ground, then fly back up to eat in mid air, sharing the carcass with it's winged brothers. 

"Get back, you..!" yelled Sirus as he jabbed at a howling beast hovering just above him. He stuck it in the ribs with his spiked-club, and it let out a squeal and fell to the ground. He slammed the club against the back of it's skull twice, then jabbed it in the lower back. It shuddered and died, letting out a wheeze. He looked up to see a nosferatu foot come out of no where and kick him in the face. He was flipped over, landing on a rough patch of dirt. He coughed, cursed, and swung his staff in an arc above him, scaring the bat creature back. It snarled, and bobbed down, picking at his ribs with it's talons and heels. Sirus groaned, and swung his staff again. 

"Oh my god, what is this!? It's a bloodbath!!" whispered Wendy as she pulled Michael along the ground, crawling over to John, who was regaining conciousness. 

"...fucker. Whu-- what 'appened?" he asked, dozily. Wendy grabbed his gun, and squeezed the trigger. No bullets struck beast. "Hey, don't you know how t' aim...?" 

John grabbed the gun from her and tried to let off a stream of bullets into the flock above them. The gun jammed, no rounds coming forth. "Goddammit! It's stuck," groaned John. "We're bat meat." 

Suddenly, a wild howl of excitement and aggression rang out in the night. Human. Wendy gazed up towards the sky, and saw the un-believable. 

A boy flew through the air, spinning and somersaulting with the grace of an acrobat. He looked roughly their age, with tousled orange hair and green clothes. He swung a gleeming sword in a circle around him, taking out three nosferatu by decapitation. He howled again, and dove down through the air, slicing limbs free from beasts. Shreiks and bestial hollers filled the night, as the boy flew around the night sky, striking and swinging and stabbing his way through nosferatu. Blue-black blood flowed freely, and the beasts numbers diminished. 

Soon, all but a few were alive in the sky. The boy let out a cry of joy, heaving his blood-slicked sword in the air. Sirus cheered, and Tinkerbell's glow shone brighter. 

But those still in the air had a vendetta to fill out. Their bretherin, their hive-mates, had been struck down by these hairless mammals. A strong, fast nosferatu let out a bellowing cry and swooped down low to attack Sirus. He ducked, just in time, and the beast flew over him...towards Wendy. 

She let out a scream as the beast's wide fang-filled mouth closed in on her. It let out a ear-splitting howl as it prepared to rip her in half. Another cry filled the night air, also. The boy came spinning down, sword sending strings of bluish black into the night sky, a holler rising from his throat. 

The nosferatu closed in on Wendy. 

The boy closed in on the nosferatu.   


The world went dark for Wendy Hildered.   


->>>-   
  
  
  
  
  



	5. Beside Manners

->>>-][->>>-   
  


(screeching) 

(hollering) 

(a gunshot) 

(screeching) 

(a nosferatu coming in fast) 

(a boy coming in fast, too) 

(screeching) 

(razor fangs) 

(sharp sword) 

(red)   
(splatter)   
(red)   
(red) 

(nosferatu) 

(RED)   


"...g'ahhhHHH!!" yelped Wendy, awaking from her nightmare. She shook her head, feeling ill. "Auugh," she moaned. She felt like she was going to vomit. But the feeling slowly subsided, and her eyes regained their focus. 

She was lying in a room, on a bed made of leaves and patch-work cloth. A bandage was wound around her arm, just below her elbow. Blood was soaked into the bandage, dried. She looked around. The room was made of wooden planks and bamboo. A small tree-stump table was beside the bed, with a single extinguished candle in the centre. Other than that, the room was bare. Two wide windows with no glass or drapes or any decorations were on either side of the room. 

Where was she? She ran her hand over her arm, and winced as she felt a scabbed gash twist under her hand. She looked down. Her clothes had been ripped pretty bad, especially on the injured arm. Dirt and mud was caked onto the ends of her pant legs. Her shoes were hung up on a string, above the headboard of her bed. 

"Hello?" asked Wendy, weakly. She wasn't sure where she was, or if the past twenty four hours had been real. 

"You're awake, finally. How do you feel?" asked Sirus, climbing in through the window. He had a stained bandage wrapped around his ribs and a scabbed cut above his right eye, which had swelled up in a black eye. 

"Like crap," she groaned. She moved to the edge of the bed. "What happened?" 

"To me or to you?" chuckled Sirus as he moved around the room carefully, mindful of his rib-injury. He brushed the candle off the tree-stump table, and sat down on it. 

She chuckled a little, "hell, both of us." 

"I got kicked in the face and ripped across the ribs. You, on the other hand..." 

"Yeah?" she asked, worried that it might be something serious or life-threatening. 

"You," he said, "fainted." 

"....oh," whispered Wendy, a little embarassed. She giggled nervously to herself. 

"Pan came and sliced the nosferatu's head off right before it got to you. The body stopped, but the head kept going. Hit your arm," said Sirus, motioning to her arm. "We picked you up, washed the blood off you, fixed you up and stuck you in here. You've slept all night and almost all day. Dusk'll come soon." 

"Oh great, more of those monster things...! What the hell were those???" whined Wendy, feeling ill again all of a sudden. She shuddered. 

"Nosferatu are a relative of the bat family, and distant cousin to primates. They come out at night in flocks of ten to twenty eating anything that bleeds," explained Sirus. His hand instinctivley went to his side, where his injury was. 

"Vampires," whispered Wendy. 

"Vampires?! Well... I *guess* they could be seen like animal versions of vampires," muttered Sirus. He shook his head and looked at Wendy with a half-smile. "You and I are thinking of two totally differant things, aren't we?" he chuckled. 

"Vampires....undead people who come out at night?" she said, as if it should be common knowledge here. "Feast on the living??" Sirus gave a blank stare. " 'I vant to zuck your blahd!!' " she said, imitating an old Dracula movie. 

"Haha..! What was that?? I vant to zuck your blahd? Hahahehehehh," he laughed to himself. 

"Nevermind. So what's YOUR vampires?" asked Wendy, letting out a small chuckle of her own. 

"Vampires are people who are stricken with the Vampyrius virus," he explained. "They develop an explosive allergy to ultra violet rays and they have to drink blood to sustain the hemoglobin they lack in their own veins." 

Wendy gave him an incredilous stare. She shook her head slowly. 

"What?" he asked, curiously amused. 

"How the hell do you know all this? You said this island doesn't have a formal government on the way here, so I'm pretty sure you ain't got people lining up to universities... but you're friggin' smarter that most of the people I know in London!!!" 

"I am not exactly native to this island," Sirus said quietly. "When I was a young boy, I lived in a secret Navajo camp, outside the white man's reach. We felt if we came in contact with Anglo-Saxon culture, our way of life would be poisoned. And realizing that Navajo relatives lived in other parts of the world, we set out to educate the youth of the camp so they might go out into the world and protect from American infection. By the time I was fourteen I had a 2nd year university-level education. They put me on a ship to smuggle me to Europe, but we were caught in a hurricane. The boat was split open and most of the crew died. Only three of us made it," he said solemly. His face went grim, and he exhaled slowly. "We awoke on the shores of NeverNeverland. That's the other side of the island. Me, my brother, and another Navajo boy made our way through the jungles. My brother and my friend eventually fell pray to Hook and his bastards." 

Sirus paused to breath again. He squeezed his eyes shut and let out a shakey breath. He turned to Wendy. "Pan took me in, gave me shelter and food, much like he's done for you and your brothers. You will be safe here, as I have been these past four years." 

"Four ye-years?? Hell no, sorry, but no, no -- no way, we are not staying in this jungle for another m-month, let alone four bloody years!" she stuttered. She jumped out of bed, and paced around the room, stuttering to herself. 

"Please, calm down, accept your fate. There is no way back," Sirus said comfortingly. It wasn't exactly taken that way. 

"What do you mean, no way back!? Bullshit! That-- that dead guy got us here in a little d-dingy boat!!! Give us-- give us another dead guy, and maybe a bigger boat, we'll get home, we'll get home fine! We're going home, dammit!!!" she yelled frantically. She felt light headed and sick to her stomach. 

"Stop, you're going to faint again," Sirus said slowly, his open hands up infront of him, trying to ease her down. 

"No...no way in hell! We aren't staying here!! We've got to get home...! M-Mum and Dad'll be shitting bricks!! We've got to..." 

Wendy stopped in her tracks. She looked with wide eyes out the window. The humble room she had rested all night and all day in was nestled in a gigantic tree, settled above a steep cliff overlooking the sea. The red sun was setting behind clouds and fog, and the beautiful colors were reflecting off the water. A breath taking sight. A jarring one as well. 

"We're.... we're never going home, are we?" asked Wendy in a whisper. A tear ran down her cheek. "Mum," she whispered to herself. "Dad... oh my God. What have we done?" she cried. Tears spilled over her cheeks, and she fell to her knees on the wood floor. Sirus rushed over to her, and put his arms around her as she cried. "All we wanted... some *stupid* treasure... oh my God, how could we have been so greedy? How could we leave Mum and Dad like that??" she whispered through gasps and sobs. Sirus rocked her back and forth in his arms, trying to comfort her. She sobbed again. 

"What have we done...?"   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	6. Pan and Hook's history

->>>-][->>>-   
  


Wendy dried her eyes on her shirt sleeve's tatters. She sniffed a bit, and gave Sirus a look of sorrow. "We're never going home, are we?" 

It had been an hour and a half since she broke down, and the whole time she had cried Sirus had stayed by her side. She had finally calmed down as the sun finished setting and the sweet songs of crickets and night-birds native to Neverland arose in the air. 

"There is no way off the island that is remotely safe for humans. The only thing ever to leave the Neverland area is Tinkerbell, and she doesn't even know how she does it. She just flies high into the fog and blacks out for a while until she's back on our side of the fog. I'm afraid," he replied, "that there isn't a way home, no." 

Wendy let out a shakey breath, and wiped her cheek with her open palm. "Okay," she sighed. "So... you said something about a guy named Pan taking care of *you* when you first came here. Who is this Pan bloke?" 

"Peter Pan, every one calls him Pan," said Sirus with a small chuckle, "he is, more or less, the master of Neverland. Not officially, of course, since the island is divided up into many clans and tribes, but the general consensus is they answer to him. The only opposition to Pan is..." 

"Yeah?" asked Wendy quietly. 

"....that would be Captain Orthos Von Hook," Sirus said coldly. A shiver went up his spine, and he tightened his jaw at the sound of the name. "Orthos Von Hook is the most horrendous, vicious human being I have ever known." 

Wendy swallowed, feeling dread creeping across her skin. She looked at Sirus. His hands were squeezed into fists so hard his knuckles were turning white, and a look of pure hatred was clear in his eyes. 

"He was a Hessian mercenary who was hired at some point in olden times to find and kill the captain of a ship called The Infernus. He did his job, and more, killing the entire crew in their sleep. After that little mission, he took command of the ship and put together his own crew, and, along with three other ships, went pirate. They ransacked and killed almost two thousand people in their villainous streak before getting lost in a sea-storm. They some how found their way here, and have remained on the other side of the island ever since, adding any criminal who finds their way to this island to their ranks. He tried to take control of the island about a century ago, and he came into conflict with..." 

"Wait...did you say a century?! That's a hundred years!?! And he's still alive? What is he, Dick Clark!?!" blurted Wendy in confusion. Sirus gave her a blank stare. "Oh right, you guys don't know about Dick Clark," she whispered to herself. 

"Time does not seem to pass on this island as it does elsewhere in the world. No one ages here. In fact, things tend to grow in excess here. The forest, for example. The tree tops are at least three, four times higher than tree tops were on normal land before I left. Youth reigns here," explained Sirus. "And you are in the largest city in this island of the young....Jungendstadt. Home of Pan." 

"Okay...I think I kind of follow you...kind of..." muttered Wendy. She cleared her throat, "so no one ages here?" 

"No human beings grow old, no," answered Sirus. 

"Well, then I guess I don't have to worry 'bout saggin' then, eh?" she chuckled. He gave her a blank stare. "Y'know... old women..... oh, fuck it. Go on. So, Pan and Oreos, they got into it?" 

"Orthos," corrected Sirus, his eyes focussing on some ghost of the past, something he hated with a passion, most likely this pirate that he spoke of. "Pan came after Hook after the pirate slaughtered the Crabshell indian tribe and a few Lost Boys who were there visiting. He killed them in cold blood, just so he could build Infernus City, an entire city for his crews over, these poor innocents' dead bodies. Pan had a ... problem with that. He's always been this island's protector, more or less, so he wanted to have 'words' with this new threat. Hook and Pan held a fight to the death, one on one, to see who would rule over Neverland. They fought with swords, pistols, fists, wooden poles, anything and everything they could get their hands on. In the end, they ended up blowing a whole through Hook's cabin, through the hull of the ship. The sinking ship attracted a large sea-serpent. It swam into the water filled hull of the sinking ship, and lied there, waiting for Pan and Hook to work their way down. In the end, Pan came to victory, but Hook pulled a dirty trick. He had a survivor from the Crabshell tribe hidden away, why we may never know, but he had this girl, this survivor. Pan agreed to surrender, if the girl would be set free. So after Hook's men had tied Pan up, Hook 'set her free' into the lower decks of the ship, where she was killed by the sea serpent." 

There was a moment of silence between Sirus and Wendy. She shook her head, and muttered to herself. She then turned to Sirus, "that son of a bitch!" 

He turned to her, and almost casually, replied, "...I know! What a bastard, right?" She nodded. 

"Pan watched her die, and for the first time ever, displayed an ... ability not possessed by any one else on the island. He flew," Sirus said, with a hint of enthusiasm in his voice, almost pride. "He flew straight up, up from the ship, up above the half-finished city, hollering in rage all the way. He ripped the ropes off him in the air, and then dove. He just... *dived* straight down, through the air. Like a shooting star. Hook, he was grinning and laughing at Pan when he was tied up, waving his hand in Pan's face. It was stained with the indian girl's blood. So, when Pan dived, he dived straight for Hook. And right there, right then, that Orthos Von Hook learned not to fuck with Peter Pan. Pan dove through the ship's sails, dove straight into Hook, and took his bloody hand right off. Just grabbed it on his way down and RIP! Right off. He fed it to the sea serpent, right in front of Hook. Tossed it right into the thing's mouth. Chomp. Hook was, to say the least, pissed off. He had finally been defeated, and he *really* hated it," chuckled Sirus. He scratched his chin. "Ever since then, the two've been in a blood feud. Hook and his men have to stay on their side of the island, NeverNeverland, forever. They cannot leave Infernus City, or the residents of this island have permission to capture and torture and kill them. Permission to do whatever they want to them. And there are some mean sons-of-bitches on this island. So, the pirates stay in the city, and Pan gets all of Neverland as his playground." 

Wendy sat quiet for a minute. "Wow," she muttered. "So this Pan guy, he's like a real bad ass, a bad ass king or something, right?" 

Sirus winced a little, trying to come up with a response that was correctly phrased. "He's... he is known through out the island as the be-all, end-all. He's not the official master, but everyone, *everyone* acknowledges him as one. His word is law," said Sirus slowly, carefully using his words. "But don't think of him as a king." 

"Why? Because he's not 'formally' the king?" asked Wendy. Sirus shook his head. 

"Kings are old. Kings are old, and wise in their years. Pan, while he is wise, he is most definately not old. He is as young as you and I." 

"I don't believe it. No bloody way," Wendy said with a dazed smile, "a teenager's in charge of an entire island nation? Bloody amazing..." 

"Well, it's a little more complicated than that, but for now that'll suffice." 

"Wow. So, was he the guy who killed that nosferapo that nearly got me?" asked Wendy, curious and excited. An island run by teens. Pirates or not, this was too good to be true, she thought. 

"Nosferatu," corrected Sirus, fixing her mistake for the second time. "Yes, that was him." 

"And he can fly?" 

"Well, it's more like he can jump and remain in freefall indefinately. He has to land to take off again at some point, but while he's in the air he has almost limitless control over his motion. His aerial skills are just... amazing. Birds don't have shit on him, if you'll pardon the expression." 

Wendy giggled. "So when do we meet this Pan guy?" 

"Tonight, if you'd like," said Sirus with minimal interest in her question. As if he didn't really care if she met him. "He's currently at Redbone Cove, meeting with a delegate from the Tiger tribe." 

"Tonight!? Oh my god, what'll I wear?" she gasped, then thought about what she just said. "Ok, all I have is what I'm wearing. Bloody hell, this is no way to meet a ki-- a non-official king!" she said, nodding in Sirus's direction. He chuckled. 

"Don't worry about it. Now, get yourself cleaned up. Out that window is a wooden bridge that'll take you down from the residential section of Jungendstadt to the main level," he motioned to the one he came in from. He then pointed to the other window, "and out there is a pulley elevator to where you can bathe. Be ready in an hour. And don't worry about nosferatu, they don't come into Jungendstadt." 

Wendy nodded, and watched him leave. "Wait!" she called. He stuck his head through the window. "What about my brothers?" 

"What I told you has been told to Tupac, he's coped with it alright. He's been sucking on firey herbs, though," said Sirus, as if he was talking about some kind of mental patient. 

"Tupac...?" Wendy asked herself. Then her eyes rolled, "John, you stupid bugger. His name is John, Sirus," She chuckled to herself. "And Michael? My little brother?" 

"He sleeps. He... is not well, is he?" asked Sirus. 

"....no," said Wendy with sadness in her voice. "He isn't well." 

"Well, we'll deal with these things later. Get ready for your meeting with Pan. I shall come for you in an hour," said Sirus curtly. He pulled his head back from the window and walked away down a wooden bridge. 

"Okay... bye," she replied, too late. She got up off her bed, and walked over to the window slowly. Her clothes were filthy, and her skin was a little dirty. She looked out the window, and jumped back quickly. "Jesus...!" she yelped. She slowly inched back to the window. Outside it was a long, long hemp rope pulley with hand-grips made of wood tied every four feet. It went down at least a hundred feet to a small lagoon surrounded by trees and rocks. "I'm supposed to bathe in that...?" 

She sighed, looked down at her dirty self, and shrugged. "This is gonna take some getting used to. Here we goooooo....!" she cried out to herself as she reached out and grabbed ahold of the pulley. It automatically started carrying her down. She hugged the rope tight, and looked up at her little room. It was a large wooden and bamboo box snuggled tightly in the branches of a great big tree. It had a wooden bridge connecting it to a large network of wooden rooms and floors and bridges and pulleys, all situated on top of a series of gigantic trees. She was looking at Jungendstadt. 

"Yep....gonna take some getting used to."   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	7. Lagoon Embareassment

->>>-][->>>-   
  
  


"Ooooh, okay...okay.... here we go," whispered Wendy, as she slid her pants off. 

Wendy had made her way down the pulley-elevator with relative ease (considering she was holding on to the hemp rope for dear life), and had given the lagoon a good once-over. No body in sight, sound, or smell range. She guessed people here smelled, since it was a jungle and people sweat in jungles. She had hunched over the edge of the lagoon and cupped her hand, bringing out a handful of water. Before it quickly drained out of her fingers, she had seen that the water looked more or less clean, and it didn't seem to have any fish in it that she could see. Nothing was moving under the clear waters of the lagoon. It was bathin' time. 

Wendy slid her pants off, aprehensive about any peeping toms, and laid them over a large flat rock near the water's edge. She pulled her shirt off, accidentally ripping the tattered sleeve a bit more. "Oop, shit," she cursed quietly. She set the shirt down beside the pants. She looked around the lagoon suspiciously, searching for some hint of people, searching for re-assurance of privacy. 

Once she was fully conviced, she slowly undid her bra and slid it off onto the rock. She instinctivly covered herself with her arms, then gave a small nervous chuckle. What a sight she must be, standing straight as a pole in a deserted quary beside a tropical lagoon, topless and pantless. She chuckled nervously again. "Aheh....any one out there?" she called, hesitant. "No??? G-good," she whispered to herself. She slowly took her arms away from her bare chest and slid her thumbs under her breifs. She slid them off quickly and put them on the rock with her other clothes and moved quickly into the lagoon. "Aiieee!" she squealed, and jumped out. "Bloody 'ell, that's chilly!" she whispered to herself. [Best get your naked self in before your little outburst attracks somebody], she thought. She slipped her foot in slowly, breathing quickly, trying to adjust to the cold. She slowly made her way into the pool of water, the cool water rising up to her hips, becoming comfortable with the temperature of the lagoon. It wasn't that bad, once she got used to it. She moved her arms around in the water, watching the ripples and waves. 

She looked around again, making sure that, yet again, no one was watching what they shouldn't be watching. No one. She turned back to the task at hand, and slowly unwrapped the bandage on her arm. A scab had formed over a narrow gash across her forarm to her elbow. Likely from that nosferatu's teeth when it's head hit me, she thought. She shuddered, thinking of the severed head. She returned to reality with a few blinks of her eyes, and decided she'd wasted enough time. 

She dipped a hand into the lagoon and ran a handful of water over her slightly dirty arm. It felt good, soothing. She repeated the process, occasionally scrubbing at her arm with her palm, watching the dirty skin peel off and wash off in the cascade of water. She turned her attention to the other arm, and began running handfuls over it, too. She rubbed at her skin, dirt coming free of her pores easily in the water. She winced as her fingers brushed over the scabbed gash. She dipped her arm up to the bicep into the water, soothing the stinging feeling. She moved back upright, and wondered what to do next. She felt extremely embarassed being naked in this strange place, even without anyone there. "Whoo, settle yourself down, girl. No one there. Get washing, you're running out of time," she muttered to herself. 

'yes, ye are,' said Tinkerbell from behind her. 

Wendy jumped and spun around, then covered herself with her arms and moved deeper into the water, her face as red as a lobster's hide. "Oh my God, you scared the shit out of me!" Wendy said between gasps. "What do you want...?" 

Tinkerbell fluttered her wings and chuckled to herself. 

"Well...? Come on, tell me and get going, or at least turn around...!" Wendy snapped, embarassed beyond belief. 

'oh please, i may be only six inches tall, but it's not like ye don't have anything i don't. well, o'er than the fact that you have smaller--' 

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" Wendy asked sternly, cutting the pixie off. Tinkerbell let out a high pitched laugh. 

'ye've taken a lot longer'n ye think, wendy-girl. hurry up, ye've only got twen'y minutes an' ye still have to wash yuir clothes,' said Tinkerbell, still chuckling. 

"Okay, thanks," Wendy muttered, still hiding beneath the water. Tinkerbell hovered in the air, still. "What else?" 

The pixie let out a long laugh, 'you really are a stiff one. that won't play long, here, darlin'. a whole city full a' horny teenage boys, ye don' stand a chance.' With that, she let out another laugh. Wendy moved a little deeper into the water. 'oh, surely te God yuir not ashamed a' yuir body?' 

Wendy gave her a glare and moved a little out of the water. [Well], she thought, [she has a point. Theres nothing I have that she hasn't seen. Hell, she's the only other female I've seen here! Best I should make friends]. She moved up out of the water, standing up straight, slowly moving her hands away from herself. 

'ah-hah! i take it back, luv,' laughed Tinkerbell. She flashed a small fanged smile and flew back up to Jungendstadt. 

"What the hell does that mean!?" called Wendy, angry. "Yeah? Well, screw you too, you freak!" she hollered up at the pixie. [What does that pint-sized skank know anyway? She's naked all the time,] she thought. 

With that, Wendy resumed bathing herself. She ran some water over her shoulders, feeling it move its way over her shoulder and down her back, over her hip and back into the lagoon, where ripples spread. She dipped her body low into the water, scrubbing the water across her shoulders, feeling her pores open up again, and dirt come loose. She came up out of the water, and saw a reflection of herself in the water, through the ripples. [I look fine], she thought. [Not major bragging material, but I'm good. What the bloody 'ell am I doing, trying to contradict that faerie freak to myself. I know she's wrong! Ain't nothing wrong with these], she thought as she grabbed her chest and gave herself a shake. 

'hahahAHAH!!' Tinkerbell's laughter rang out in the lagoon. Wendy dove back under the water quickly and glared up at the glowing pixie, who flew out from between some rocks and up to Jungendstadt. 

"Perv..!" called Wendy. She flipped the little pixie off, and decided she had best wash her clothes and get out. The moon was high tonight, and the air warm. Perfect conditions for meeting a king. 

[Unofficial king], she reminded herself, and chuckled.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	8. the Wolf Stables

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Is Tinkerbell a lesbian or something?" asked Wendy bluntly. 

She had finished her bathing, and had washed the dirt out of her clothes. She had been given a patch-work coat to wear over top of her tattered clothes, and it fit surprisingly well. Sirus was standing with her on a wooden bridge leading down to the main level of Jungendstadt. 

"Well.... I'm afraid I don't know," stuttered Sirus, embarassed at his lack of understanding. 

"You don't know if she plays for pu--" asked Wendy before Sirus cut her off. 

"I have not been taught this word you say; lessbiane. What is a lessbiane?" he asked sheepishly. Wendy let out a small laugh. 

"Lesbian, sweety. Ne'ermind. Doesn't matter," chuckled Wendy. She saw John come out of a room similar to hers, white smoke trailing behind him. "God, smoking up again?!" 

"You expec' me to take this here shite without some kin'a mental stimulus...?" laughed John. He flicked a spliff over the side of a bridge, where it fell into the deep forest, trailing white smoke. 

"Whatever," groaned Wendy. She looked back to Sirus. "So, we going to meet this Pan guy or what?" 

"Yes," he replied, and motioned towards a tree that seemed to have a door carved into it's trunk. "Follow the stairs down, at the bottom our transportation awaits. I will meet you shortly, I have a matter to take care of." 

"'kay," said Wendy. She motioned John towards the tree-door. Light barely penetrated the dark stairwell inside the tree, and only a few sparse torches were lit, blackening the inside of the tree, but not setting it alight. 

"Ladies first," John chuckled. Wendy rolled her eyes, and took a step into the stairwell. She gasped as she saw how far it went down. 

"Blimey....it must go down a half a' hundred meters!" 

"And here I thought you liked your wood long," smirked John. Wendy slapped him on the arm and stuck her tongue out at him. The began their decent down the tree. 

*** 

"Oh, there is no way I am getting on that...!" blurted Wendy. They had reached the bottom of the tree stairwell, and had exited to find a small stable built into a hill. Instead of horses, however, they found extremely large wolves. The beasts pawed around in their bamboo stalls, occasionally letting out a small growl and sniffing at the two new people. 

"Well, you could walk if you'd prefer...it would only take a day and a half," chuckled Sirus. Wendy gave him a dirty look, and he chuckled some more. Wendy looked over to her brother, looking for support. 

John was standing near one wolf blowing white marijuana smoke into it's snout. The wolf let out a sneeze and started wobbling in it's stall. "Heheh, hey Wendy, check this shit out. Bowser likes it...!" he said as he blew more smoke. Sirus pulled his staff from it's back-sheath and smacked him in the shoulder with it. John dropped the joint, and cursed. "What da bloody hell'd you do that for?" 

"I don't want our wolves intoxicated," snapped Sirus, crushing the joint with the end of his staff. He then turned to Wendy and motioned with his staff to all of the wolves. "Take your pick." 

"Oh hell no, didn' ya hear me? I ain't riding on one of those monsters," Wendy snapped back. She shook her head and stepped back. 

"You don't want to pick?" he asked, a wry tone burried deep in his voice. 

"Bloody right I won't!" she said firmly, as she crossed her arms and gave him a look of defiance. Sirus looked at her, then at her brother, who raised his eye brows and shrugged, then back at Wendy. 

"Fine," he chuckled walking over to one of the bamboo gates. He opened it, and slapped the side of his leg twice. "Heaa!" he called, and a large wolf pawwed out. Standing with it's head straight up, it had to be at least 6 feet tall. It had a shiney coat of grey fur, and sharp piercing eyes, with red corneas that seemed to shimmer with an inner fire. 

Sirus grabbed a mossy blanket and draped it across the wolf's back. It licked it's nose and looked at him. He smiled and ran a hand down it's neck, petting it. It panted a litte, then sniffed the air, turning it's head to Wendy and John. Wendy stood perfectly still, her eyes wide. 

"Don't...move...sis..." John said dazily, the marijuana taking it's toll on his brain. "They can smell fear." He sniffed the air himself, then looked slowly down at his shoes. "And shit." 

"Hahahah, stepped in a little something, did you?" laughed Sirus. John glared at him. 

Sirus walked over to John and opened the stall with the wolf he'd blown smoke at. It slowly made it's way out of the stall, shook it's head, and snorted. White smoke trailed out of it's nostrils, and it shook it's head again, eyes clearing. Sirus put a similar moss-blanket over it and led it over to John. 

"Get on," said Sirus. He turned to the wolf, and pointed two fingers down at the ground. The wolf did as it was commanded, and lowered itself until it was lying on the ground on it's stomach and paws. 

"You serious...? Shee-it," said John, as he cautiously made his way onto the wolf. As soon as he was over the moss blanket, it stood back up. "Wooahhh!" 

Sirus chuckled and walked back to his wolf. He put his hand on it's side and patted it. He motioned for it to get down, also, and he climbed on. It stood back up, and he twirled his staff into its back sheath. "Lets go..!" he called out. The wolves ears perked up, and they started panting excitedly. 

Sirus's wolf started bounding out of the stable with a graceful beauty. As it passed Wendy, Sirus grabbed her waist and hoisted her onto the wolf, in front of him. She let out a shreik and a curse and gave him a dirty glance. 

John's wolf followed right after Sirus's, and the two wolves bounded off into the deep of the forest. Wendy took in a quick breath as she watched the wolves run at incredible speeds, leaping over obstacles and swerving around trees at the last second, moving with the fluidic grace and speed of a cheeta. Trees whizzed past them, not a foot from their bodies. 

"Oh my God....... is it always like this?" gasped Wendy over the wolves pantings. 

"Like what?" asked Sirus. He was had his hands dug deep beneath the fur on the wolf's neck, holding on. His arms ran between Wendy's. 

"Is it always this frickin' awesome?" she smiled. She turned around to face the wolves course and let out a whoop as the wolves lept over a fallen tree at the last second. "WOOOOOooohahahaaaaaa!!!" 

"Well screw wheels, this is da shit I'm talkin' bout now!!!" called John. He let out a whoop of his own. 

The two wolves continued their bounding course into the deep reaches of the forest, off to Redbone Cove...   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	9. Redbone Cove's secret

->>>-][->>>-   
  


The wolves trotted to a stop near a clearing, where forest turned to rock. Sirus dismounted, and helped Wendy down from the wolf. John tried to make a show of skillfully dismouting, and ended up falling on his ass. 

"Hahaheh, Johnny, are you ok?" laughed Wendy. He dusted himself off and got up. 

"Oh bugger off," he chuckled back. He rubbed his butt, and glared at the wolf he had ridden. " 's your fault." 

"Come, he should be somewhere around here," called Sirus from a steep rocky edge. He glanced over the edge, eyeing the thirty foot drop carefully. He began climbing down, griping the rocks with his hands and shimmying down the steep hill. Wendy gave the cliff a wide-eyed stare. 

"Am I supposed to climb down that?" called Wendy. Sirus stopped midway down the rocky hill. He looked up at her. 

"You don't know how to climb?" he asked back. Wendy shook her head, and he rolled his eyes and groaned. "So what do you propose we do then??"   


***   


"G'urk....." groaned Sirus, "you're...choking..me..." 

"Sorry! Sorry," replied Wendy frantically. She loosened her grip on him, and slid downwards a little. She tightened her grip again. 

Wendy was perched upon Sirus's back, holding onto him around his neck, riding him as he climbed down the rocks. Her eyes were squeezed tight, and her grip had Sirus perched precariously on the line between conciousness and black-out. 

"G'uhhh....air!" he snapped, and she loosened her grip again. 

John was climbing down the rocks just fine, although a great deal of cursing was emenating from his area of the hill. Wendy opened one eye to look at him as he fumbled his way down the rocks. Her eye inadvertantly wandered down, seeing the steep drop. "Ahh!" she yelped, and pressed herself agaisnt Sirus's back. He groaned, and moved his foot awkwardly to the next rock. "This was a bad idea," whispered Wendy, terrified. 

"I...>cough...agree," sputtered Sirus.   


***   


The trio had finally made their way down the chain of rocky hillsides and small cliffs. The wolves paced back and forth at the top of the rocks, looking down on their masters. Sirus let out a series of coughs, glaring at Wendy in between hacks and wheezes. When he finally got his breath under control again, he stretched his torso backwards, cracking his back. Wendy cringed. 

"Now that THAT crap's over, let's go find this Pan bloke," said John. Sirus nodded, and turned towards a worn and cracked path in the rocks. Water lapped at bluffs near their position, and Wendy took the refreshing smell of sea into her nose. She smiled. It was so great to not smell the stinks of the city, the smell of garbage and pollution. 

They began walking, single file, following Sirus. He pulled his staff out and used it to balance himself on the more precarious rocks. He offered a hand to Wendy, and she gripped it, smiling at him. He pulled her on the rock with him, and then grabbed John's arm. The two locked arms, and Sirus pulled John up, too. They continued on their hike to this mysterious Redbone Cove. 

Soon, they rounded a rocky wall, and Wendy gasped to herself. 

"What da fuck is THAT shit?!" blurted John, pointing at Redbone Cove. A giant cave surrounded a medium sized pool of water that led out to the sea. The great rocks bore an uncanny resemblance to a giant human skull, complete with eye sockets and a gaping fang-filled mouth. A path far below their own led between the great skull's jaws, into the cove. 

"That," said Sirus with a faint sense of pride, "is Redbone Cove. Many a great man have met here. Tribes have risen and fallen under the rocks of Redbone." 

Wendy thought she heard something coming, rising out of the cove. Probably nothing, probably just her imagination. 

Sirus motioned for them to follow him, and he made his way up to the great skull. He began climbing again, making his way over the jutting rock of the cheek bone and into the eye socket. He pointed his staff out to Wendy, who took hold of it and pulled herself up into the eye. John brushed the staff away, prefering to do it himself. After a few minutes, he grudgingly accepted the fact that he couldn't climb worth shit. 

The three made their way silently into the rocky skull. Light poured in through the eyes, nose, and mouth of the skull-like cave, barely illuminating the farthest reaches of the cave. Wendy was sure she heard something this time. Something faint. No, two something-faints. She strained to hear. It sounded like something. Muffled something, barely audible in it's echo. One noise, then a second one. One, then the second, one, then the second. This pattern continued, although it fluxuated at times. Wendy couldn't tell what the noises were. 

"What did you say was happening here?" whispered Wendy to Sirus. He turned to her, and crouched down behind a line of boulders. Wendy and John crouched, too. 

"Pan said he was meeting with the Tiger tribe today," he whispered to them. His eyes widened then, and he got a look of not-quite-angry across his face. He scooted over to the end of the boulder line, leaving Wendy and John crouching, and peered over the edge. He quickly drew back, and started making his way back to them. The noises had gotten a little louder. A male voice, and a female voice. One, then the other, one, then the other. Wendy started crawling towards the edge. 

"Ahh, no... this meeting...ah, is of a more private matter than I thought, lets go," he whispered frantically, but he couldn't stop Wendy. She pushed past him. "No, Pan is busy, we'll meet with him later..." 

Wendy looked back at him. "Look, buddy, I didn't ride all this way on the back of a big-assed dog to take a number. Let's see this Pan guy," she whispered, and returned to her crawling. John joined her, much to Sirus's silent protests. She could slightly make out what the noises were now, but she had to see it to believe it. 

Wendy silently moved to the edge of the boulder line, and slowly moved her head over the tops of the rocks, looking for this Pan character. What she saw shocked her greatly. Her eyes widened, and she gasped. She had suspected correctly. The sounds floated through the air quite clearly now. 

John looked at her expression for all of a few seconds, then looked over the boulders himself. Sirus shook his head, and John stiffled a laugh. 

"Bloody hell, they're shagging!" he laughed quietly. 

The previously enigmatic ruler of Neverland, Peter Pan, was hunched naked over a slightly younger girl of Indian decent, also naked, who lied spread across a flat rock. He was pumping away at her furiously. The sounds had been their pants and groans. Wendy slipped behind the boulders quickly. She closed her eyes tight, trying to get that breif image out of her brain. She opened her eyes, and tugged at John's sleeve. 

"Get down, you fucking pervert..!" she snapped quietly. John waved her off, and continued watching. Sirus shook his head. 

"Christ, they're really goin' at it..." John muttered. He eyed the Indian girl, and licked his lips. "Hey Sirus, who's the hottie?" 

"Hottie??" groaned Sirus in a whisper, embarassed and confused. 

"The girl who's gettin' dicked, who is she?" asked John. Wendy gasped, and squeezed her eyes shut again. 

"John, shut up shut up," she groaned. 

Sirus let out an exhasperated sigh and looked over the boulders breifly. He slipped back quickly, and whispered, "she is Princess Tigerlily. The Tiger chief's daughter." He groaned. 

"Haha! Pan is stickin' it to her... man, she's got a nice set..." whispered John. He chuckled again. Wendy continued tugging hard on his sleeve, to no avail. 

As the two naked teenagers sped up their rhythm, John turned to Sirus. "This givin' you half a stock, too?" Sirus gasped and rolled his eyes. He laid his face in his hand, totally embarassed. 

"I...>umph!...can...>ugh!...hear you...!" called Pan as he thrust and thrust again. John uttered a harsh curse and jumped behind the boulders. 

"Maybe he doesn't see us...!" he whispered frantically. Sirus groaned yet again, and shook his head.   


Pan and Tigerlily groaned, too. Wendy closed her eyes and sighed. She punched John in the shoulder, hard, for embarassing the trio like he had. His moans of pain were echoed by the young couple making love at a frantic pace on the rocks below. 

"Well, this situation is totally buggered," she whispered.   


->>>-   
  
  
  
  
  
  



	10. Breaking the Tension

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Well, that was....awkward, to say the least," groaned Sirus. 

The three of them stood on the path that had led to the rock near Redbone Cove's eye. John was chuckling to himself, and Wendy was shaking her head, grimacing. 

"I'm sorry! I just wanted to meet this guy who saved me," moaned Wendy. She shuddered. "Isn't he a bit young though...? EeEugh!" she shuddered again. 

"A bit young...?" asked Sirus. He had a look of embarassed unhappiness on his face. 

"Wendy, luv, ain't no one on this island that AIN'T young," chuckled John. He shook his head. "I am gonna get laid so much," he muttered. 

" >Ahem !" coughed Sirus, as he stood up as striaght as he could, arms at his sides. Wendy and John looked at each other and shrugged, until they heard a noise. 

The two of them spun around. Two young people were walking casually along the path from the rocky skull's open maw. The male person, looking about 17 or 18, was wearing baggy pine-green pants and brown leather boots. He was pulling on a darker green short-sleeved coat that flowed down to mid-thigh, overtop of a light green ripped t-shirt. He had tousled orange hair, which was tied behind him in a red band. He wore strange bracelets with sharp fangs tied to strings attatched. He was Pan, the ruler of Neverland. 

His companion was Princess Tigerlily, a pretty girl of about 16, was wearing a faded tan dress of leather, with ornate orange and brown designs across the shoulders and bottom of the dress, which came down to her knees. A slit ran up the side of the dress, going all the way up to above her hips. She had a brown headband on with jewels in the centre and two eagle feathers in the back. 

"Sirus," called Pan in a strong voice, with a mild Australian accent, "these are the outlanders, then, eh?" Sirus nodded to Pan, who was still on the path beneath them. He took Tigerlily's hand, and lept high into the air, carrying her with him. He hung in the air for a few seconds, then slowly settled to the rocky ground in front of Sirus. He let go of Tigerlily's hand, and turned to Wendy and John. He looked them over, giving a "hmmph", and then turned to Tigerlily. 

Wendy stammered, "I'm s-sorry, your honor...uh, excellence...? Ah, we-- ah, we didn't m-mean to intrude..." 

Pan looked back to her and put a finger to his lips, "shh!". He turned away from the stunned Wendy to Tigerlily and spoke to her in some Indian tongue. She nodded after a bit, and kissed him on the cheek with faint enthusiasm. She glared at Wendy, than started running for the rocky hill that they had climbed down earlier. She jumped high into the air and grabbed hold of the rocks. She quickly shimmied and scurried up the face of the rocks, making her way to the top in a third of the time it had taken them. She stood at the top of the hill now, looking down at them. 

John whispered to himself, "blimey... she's fast. Nice arse, too." Wendy slapped him across the arm, and looked back to Pan. He was about 6 inches taller than her, about 6'3", with sharp, angular features. Wendy took in a small breath, and blinked sweetly at him. He turned to Sirus, leaving Wendy's gaze with minimal interest. He started tucking in an off-white strip of cloth into his belt. It looked like part of a flag or banner. 

"I will escort 'er back to her tribe. I told you I wasn't to be disturbed tonight, mate," he snickered at Sirus. Sirus shrugged, and blushed a little. Pan let out a laugh, a hearty, loud laugh. "I'll meet you three at Jungendstadt and we can be formally introduced." 

With that, he jumped into the air again, and sailed up towards the top of the hill, coat fluttering in the moonlight. He landed at the top, patted one of the wolves, and started walking into the dark of night with Tigerlily, out of the trio's sight. 

Wendy tried to say something, something about his rude behaviour, but it just wasn't coming out. She flapped her lips unsuccessfully, and looked at Sirus. Sirus shrugged, and motioned for the rocky hill. "Please tell me I won't have to carry you again."   


***   


They were riding on their wolves through the forest again. She had tried her hand at scaling the rocks earlier, but ended up riding upon Sirus's back yet again. They had mounted their wolves, and began riding, Wendy still stewing about their encounter with Pan. 

Sirus nudged her with his arm, and she turned her head to him. "He was just a little distracted!" Sirus yelled over the wolves panting and the whizzing sound of leaves and trees speeding past. 

Wendy nodded, and groaned as their wolf jumped over a large tree stump and landed with a solid thump. The wolves ran, ran through the dark, and Wendy frowned...   


***   


Sirus patted his wolf's flank as it pawwed into it's stall. He closed the bamboo gate, and looked at his companions. "So which one of you wants to go back up first?" Wendy and John both groaned at the thought of the never-ending winding stairwell inside the tree. Sirus shrugged, then furrowed his brow, thinking. "I suppose we could take the Levy. 

"The 'Levy'?" asked Wendy. Sirus began walking, and motioned for them to follow him. He walked around a series of trees, and pushed a fallen tree out of the way. The tree was cut in half and hollowed, its leaves still looking fresh. Camoflauge. 

Behind the tree's secret passage was a large raft inside another carved out tree, going all the way up to Jungendstadt. It had two rails on either side of it's wooden-plank floor, and a long, thick vine on the tree side. Sirus stepped up onto it, and motioned for Wendy and John to join him. They got on, and he put his hands on the vine. He moved his head, motioning for them to do the same. Wendy and John slowly grabbed ahold of the vine, and Sirus let out a few quick breaths. "One, two, three, HEAVE!!" 

He pulled on the vine with all his might, and the raft left the ground maybe an inch or two before falling again. Sirus let out a groan, and let go of the vine. "You're supposed to PULL!" he shouted exhasperatedly at them, his face flushed from exertion. 

"Ohh," Wendy laughed a little. Sirus glared at her, and she giggled. He shook his head, a small smile creeping onto his face. 

"We all pull once on the count of three, and the Levy'll do the rest. Ok? One, two, THREE!!" 

The three of them pulled on the vine, and the elevator-raft lifted up quickly. Wendy let go of the vine after Sirus pulled his hands free and nodded for her and John to do the same. The 'Levy' moved upwards at a medium pace, of it's own volition it seemed. 

"All it needs is a little momentum to get it going," panted Sirus, wiping his brow with the back of his hand. He sat down on the planks, watching the wooden elevator ascend. Glowing moss hugged the sides of the tree, and as they passed it cast strange shadows across the three. 

"Why's it got those floater things on th' bottom? Like on a raft?" asked John. Sirus thought for a second, then clued in to what he meant. 

"Sometimes, when the tides come up high, the bathing lagoon floods and the forest gets a little deep with water. That just keeps this thing topside at all times," he explained. "We use this for moving wood or food up to Jungendstadt." 

"Huh...so what kind of food do you usually move on these things?" asked Wendy, staring at the peculiar stains in the wood. She saw faint traces of reds, blues, and blacks. 

"Mostly dead animals. Either deer or bear. Sometimes vampire when the sun stays high longer," replied Sirus casually. Wendy gave a sick look, and backed away from the blood stains. 

"When the sun stays up higher... you mean summer?" she asked. Sirus gave a questioning look. "You know, hot, the days are longer.... opposite of winter...? Hello?" 

"Winter... we don't have winter here. Sorry, took me a while to remember there," he chuckled. "We don't have any kind of winter here. The only way to tell the seasons apart here is how long the sun stays out. At least, around here. Near Quarkstokes Mountain, it gets colder there some years." 

"Okay," said Wendy slowly, thinking about what he had just said. With a shake and a bang, the Levy came to a stop. 

"We're here," said Sirus. He opened a wooded stick gate to a huge wooden floor. Boys of various ages walked and jumped and did business here, but not a single adult was to be seen in the moon light, probably the whole city. Wendy had come out early in the night, when most of the kids had been out doing other things. Now, as the night went on, they were out, partying and frollicking about. Branches could be seen poking through the floor here and there, decorated with glowing moss and hanging lanterns. Strange tribal-meets-metal music floated across the small city, coming from seashells hooked up to the occasional branch and wooden wall. Vines ran between the seashells, and Wendy realized they were impromptu speakers. 

"Oh my God, this place is amazing..." she gasped. She looked around. Some of the boys had girls with them, dancing or kissing or... "oh!" Wendy giggled, embarassed, and turned around. She looked at Sirus and he shrugged. Jungendstadt city was in the midst of a late night rave.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	11. Jungedstadt Rave

->>>-][->>>-   
  


Jungendstadt city was in the midst of a late night rave. 

"How goes it!?" called Sirus to a boy standing on a wooden platform impaled upon a thick branch. He was maybe 13 or 14, standing at a tree-stump table, fooling around with something. Vines and crude wires ran from holes in the tree stump, and the boy's hands flew across various points on the top of the stump, unseen. Wendy stared for a second before it clued in; the boy was working a strange sort of wooden turn-table. The music was coming from this home made remixing table. She looked around, and saw other boys, older, pounding away at instruments old and new and hand-made. 

"It goes fuckin' awesome!" called the boy as he worked the music, scratching and spinning. The sound was some how being broadcast through the vines into the seashells. Sirus chuckled. 

"Work some Sinotara after this!!" he called to the boy, who nodded. Sirus turned back to Wendy and John and smiled. "Join the party." 

John nodded enthusiastically, and started moving into the crowd, dancing. He was offered no resistance. Wendy looked at Sirus. "Sinotara? What's that?" 

"What!?" he yelled. 

"SINOTARA!! WHAT IS IT???" she yelled back, trying to be heard. 

"OH!" he yelled. He moved in close, leaning in towards her ear, "we find records and the occasional piece of music on our shores in good enough condition to mimic sometimes!!" 

"Cool, but what's sinotara??" she asked again. She didn't have to wait long for the answer. 

Frank Sinatra's "My Kind of Town" floated over the crowd, heavily distorted by the turn table and the original old swing music replaced with heavy guitar-bashing metal. The boys all cheered, and Sirus started moving with the altered beat. 

"Oh my God!" gasped Wendy to John. She *loved* Sinatra. 

"I know! What is this shit??" called back John, joking with her. She shot him a glare, then turned back to the dancing crowd. This distorted, hard rock take on one of her favorite Sinatra tunes was just what the doctor ordered for this fractured, surrealistic night. 

"I think I'm going to like this place," smiled Wendy, moving into the dancing crowd, moving to the heavy bass beats and the smooth sound of Sinatra's voice in the bright moon light.   


***   


The song was finally winding down, after a 7 minute long remix the likes of which Wendy had never heard. She cheered at the DJ boy, smiling widely. She absolutely loved the version of "My Kind of Town" she had just heard. She flashed the boy a smile, and cheered again. 

Another song started, and Wendy started dancing again. While this wasn't based on any Sinatra tune, the music was good, heavy-metal type stuff that she could live with. Floor shaking drum and guitar beats pumped out of the seashell-speakers, and she giggled to herself. [However these boys managed to put all this shit together, they did a phenominal job!] she thought to herself. 

Suddenly, the music died down very quickly. Wendy was left the only one dancing on the floor. She looked around, embarassed, and then followed the crowd's gaze up, up to Pan, coasting across the air just above the trees. He did a flip, and landed infront of the Levy with a thump. The crowd was silent. 

Sirus stepped forward. "How did it go?" he asked, quietly. 

"The chief still does not like me. Hahaha, I wonder why?" smirked Pan. The two laughed. Pan chuckled a little, then turned to the crowd of boys. "How goes it tonight?" he shouted. The crowd cheered and whooped and jumped about. Wendy got knocked around a bit between some jumping boys. She let out a nervous chuckle and moved towards John. "Ahh," said Pan, and the boys all quieted down, "these must be our new residents." He chuckled to himself. 

Wendy had thought about what she would say to him on the ride to Jungendstadt, but nothing was coming forth. It was on the tip of her tongue, but it would not spring forth. [Damn. Best to give up trying before you say something stupid,] she thought. 

Pan looked long and hard at her. Then his gaze turned to John for a while. Then back to Wendy. The air carried a heavy silence. Wendy gulped, and thought frantically about what she should do. She blinked a couple of times, then did a small curtsie. Pan jerked his head back. Obviously he'd never seen such a motion before. He looked back to John, who shrugged. 

Pan moved forward slowly, and circled Wendy. He looked her up and down, his stare lingering in some places. He finally made his way back to the front of her. She smiled sheepishly. He cocked his head to the side, then smiled back. 

He reached out, and cupped her left breast in his hand and gave it a small squeeze. 

"Wha-- son of a bitch!!!" she blurted, and kicked him between the legs, hard. 

He stumbled back a bit, groaning deeply, his hands burried between his legs. Sirus sucked in a deep breath, shocked at the turn of events. 

All the boys rushed to Pan's side and drew knives, staffs, swords, axes, and clubs. 

John whipped out a 9mm and cocked it, pointing it at Pan. 

"Oh my God," whispered Wendy to herself. 

"Looks like we got ourselves a big fuckin' standoff, blokes," snapped John.   


A standoff, indeed.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	12. Crossculture Standoff

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Aghhh, fuck," groaned Pan. He was hunched over, glaring at Wendy from across the floor. 

The boys weapons did not waver a bit. Every boy in the city was at Pan's side, weapons drawn. John was at his sister's side, gun out. The situation was a precarious one. 

Sirus was the only one not standing in a group. Pan looked from Wendy to him. "What? Ohh, did I miss something?" moaned Pan. He spat upon the wooden floor, fighting the urge to retch. 

"Ahh, th-these outlanders are not a-accustomed to our-- our way of life," stuttered Sirus, trying desperately to keep the situation from escallating. He looked frantically from Wendy and John to Pan and the boys. Back and forth. Back and forth. "They are used to a lifestyle closer to the ... pirates." 

The boys let out a collective gasp, and took a step back. Pan stood up, faltered a bit, then stood up straight again, and drew a sword from inside his coat. It was a beautiful sword, made of silver, the blade jutting forth from a half-coconut hand guard. It shone in the moonlight. "Pirates!? You brought pirates here!?!" he yelled at Sirus. 

"N-no, they aren't--" stuttered Sirus, trying to take back what he'd said, to no avail. 

"Step off, green-jeans, or the next tit you grab'll be sweet Lady Death's!" snapped John. He waved his 9mm around, pointing it at Pan and the boys surrounding him. 

"You shut up, I wasn't talking to you!" barked Pan. John squinted at the brazen teenager. 

"Pan, they're not pirates! They come from the far lands... you know how life is over there... more like pirates than ours!" said Sirus. He was rubbing his staff with his thumb nervously. 

"Hmmuh," grunted Pan. He looked back at Wendy. She was glaring at him, her mouth scrunched in anger, her hands balled into fists. "You," he said hoarsley, "should watch yourself. You're in our land now, so you'll follow our rules." 

"And let you grope my sister, motherfucker? Yeah, try again. I dare ya! You'll pull back a fuckin' stump, bitch!" yelled John. 

"You! Shut your mouth or I'll slice it off your face!!" yelled Pan back. He pointed his sword at John, giving him a stare of hate. 

"Oh, you wanna do this...? Fine! Le's fuckin' do this!!" he shouted. 

"John!" hollered Wendy, too late. 

"Le's fucking do this!!" he shouted again, pulling the trigger.   


Out of nowhere, a speeding star flew out of nowhere and tackled the bullet in mid-course. Tinkerbell went spinning into the floor by Pan's feet, holding onto the bullet with both arms. 'bastard!' she groaned as she stumbled out of the bullet's small crater. 

"Woah, shit!" yelped John, jumping back and grabbing ahold of Wendy's shoulder, pulling her back too. 

"What the hell was that!? He's got a muskett!!!" hollered one of the boys. The all started yelling and cursing and waving their weapons. Sirus spun his staff around, and twisted the switch in the middle of the staff, springing the three blades out of the coconut-club. Pan started spinning his sword in his hand, ready to do battle. 

"You've gone too far!" shouted Sirus at John. He pointed his weapon in John's direction, as he moved to Pan's side. "No one fires a muskett at our lord." 

"Oh bugger, what have you gotten us into, John?" whispered Wendy. John squinted, taking aim at Pan again. 

"You all stay back. Li'l miss firefly may have stopped that one, but she ain't gonna stop em all," he snapped at the riotous crowd.   


Suddenly, a whining sound filled the air, and some kind of shuriken burried itself in the floor between the mob of angry boys and the Hildereds. 

"All of you, calm down! Just stop right there!!" hollered some one unseen. Wendy looked over her shoulder. The boy who'd been working the tree-stump turn table jumped down from his platform, a strange mechanical gauntlet strapped to his right forearm. He pressed a button on the gauntlet, and the shuriken sprung out of the wood and returned into the gauntlet, where it shifted and spun, forming a metalic ying-yang. 

"Corbin!" shouted Sirus to the boy. "He took a shot at Pan!" 

"Sirus," chuckled Corbin, "Pan groped his sister. You know better'n any of us that that's just not how shit goes down in the far lands." He turned to Pan, "sorry Sir, but that girl can't be held accountable for kicking you in the balls." 

"How so?" asked Pan, with a slight grumble, as if he already knew the answer. 

"Life where they come from is structured like the pirates. They haven't lived here with us, they don't know that you're the be-all end-all." 

Pan pondered this for a moment, then grumbled. He sheathed his sword, and snapped his fingers. The boys all reluctantly put away their weapons. "Fine. I-- I ap-- apol..." he tried to say the words, but decided to say something differant instead. "You're hastey actions are forgiven." 

John looked down to Wendy, who nodded to him. John slowly lowered his gun, and Sirus let out a long breath. "Oh, for a second there I thought something *bad* was going to happen," he chuckled to Pan. 

Tinkerbell suddenly took off towards John. She flew back and forth around his head, slapping him with each pass. 'you -- stupid -- son of -- a bitch! you -- could have -- hit Pan!!!' she hollered as she hit John again and again. 

"Oww, get off me! Shit, get away!!" yelped John, swatting at Tinkerbell. She slapped him again. 

"That's enough, Tink," chuckled Pan. She glanced over to Pan, and let out a sigh. She slapped John once more on the nose, then fluttered over to Pan, and sat down on his shoulder. He rubbed his crotch. "If it makes you feel any better, you have a hell of a kick," said Pan. Wendy let out a little stressed half-chuckle. 

"Well..... I guess -- I'm sorry," muttered Wendy. 

"Lets try this again," said Pan. He ran his hands down his coat, smoothing it, and he smiled at Wendy and John. "I am Pan, protecter of Neverland. These are the Lost Boys," he said, waving to the crowd. They gave a variety or reactions; smiles, waves, grunts, frowns. "This, as you know, is Jungendstadt," said Pan, extending his hand. Wendy took it, and they shaked hands. Pan smiled, "your new home." 

'god, i hope not for long!' muttered Tinkerbell.   


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	13. Settling, One and All

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Y'know what? Fuck London, this is better than the shit we were livin' in," said John. 

Wendy and John had sat down in a circle with Pan, Sirus, Corbin, and a Lost Boy named Niko on a bridge above the main level of Jungendstadt, bellow the light of the moon. Niko was a young boy, perhaps 13, of Russian heritage and sharp disposition. He was constantly spinning a small knife in his hand. 

Wendy had explained their side of the story so far, and Pan had chuckled to himself, seeing how the earlier confrontation was a misunderstanding. 

"So, now that you're here, most likely for quite a while, are you going to live with us then, or are you going to go out into Neverland and stake your claim?" asked Sirus. 

"Hey, this shit ain't bad, man. I think I'ma gon' like it here!" laughed John. Wendy gave a distant chuckle, not really paying attention. 

"Wendy?" called Pan. She didn't answer at first, but after a few seconds snapped out of it and turned to him. "What's the matter?" 

"I'm just thinking about my brother, Michael. He's..." she strained for definition that the Lost Boys could understand. 

"Stupid?" asked Niko. John reached across the circle and punched Niko in the shoudler hard. "Ow! What was that for? Isn't he stupid..?" John reached across, and punched him in the nose. 

"You keep fuckin' talking," snapped John. Niko glared at him and fought back tears. His shoulder ached, and his nose stung. "He is NOT stupid. He's just a little...not-all-there." 

"He has a deficiancy in his brain that makes him not totally responsive to the world around him," explained Wendy. Pan gave a blank stare, then nodded slowly. 

"So he's a thinker?" he asked. Wendy cocked her head to the side, not comprehending. 

"There are a few people on the island like that, most live short lives alone. We call them Thinkers, because most of their lives are spent in silence, contemplating who-knows-what," said Sirus. Wendy nodded. 

"I'd like to think that," she said, and smiled wearily. He smiled back at her. 

"My brother was a Thinker. I think I'm not far off," Corbin chuckled. "See, I'm not as grown-up as most of the guys here, but I'm smarter'n a lot of them. I can build stuff. I don't know how, I just sit down and work whatever stuff I have," he said. He pressed a button on his gauntlet, and the iron yingyang on the hand-guard broke into two pieces, shifted, and sprung into a shuriken-type projectile. He put a finger to one of the blades, and spun it on it's axis. Corbin smiled at them, then pressed the same button. The yingyang snapped together with a clank and shifted back into the hand-guard of the gauntlet. 

John looked on in awe. "Wow, cool shit," he muttered to himself. "Yeah, well check this hardware," he smiled and pulled his 9mm out. Pan and Niko edged back, wary of the weapon. Corbin took it with two fingers. 

"Wow, it's like a pistol, but...square-er. Sleeker," he muttered to himself. 

"Pirates use pistols," said Pan, with a slight sharpness. "We don't allow pistols in Jungendstadt. Too much risk of one of us fucking around and shooting someone else." 

"Hahaha! Yeah, I suppose some one would end pullin' that shit sooner'r later," laughed John. Pan looked hard at him. "Oh!" John said, and took the gun out of Corbin's hands, and tucked it back in his pants. John nodded at Pan. "Don' worry. This don't come out again 'round here. Don' worry." 

"So, these pirates," said Wendy uneasily, "they stay on the other side of Neverland?" 

"Well, they're tolerated when they stay in their city. As soon as they step foot on my land, I'll cut that foot off. No Pirate walks on Neverland soil," Pan said grimly. "We generally tend to call that half of Neverland NeverNeverland, just do show differance between the two when we travel." 

"Ahh," she said. "And they don't come here, riight?" she asked again. Pan laughed. 

"Don't worry, no pirates will come and get you in your sleep. I think my words are for all of us when I say Pirates come here, they get cut!" said Niko. He spun his knife again, showing off. John snorted. 

"Nice talkin', bloke," he chuckled. 

"Sorry, our speech is slightly differant from that of the far lands," said Sirus. He smiled at Wendy, "you understand. We have no need for refined talk." 

"I guess," she said. She thought of something for a minute. "So," she said, "you asked if we were going to stay here, Pan. What I want to know is ... will you help me and John take care of my brother?" 

Pan was quiet for a while. "Usually Thinkers are sent out to the forest, so we are not burdened with caring for them... but.... I suppose we could let him stay, if you take most of the care," he said. Wendy listened, grasping what he was saying despite the slightly unfamiliar speech-patterns. 

"So we're free to stay?" 

"Yes." 

Wendy let out a shriek of happiness. All of the Lost Boys edged back, as Wendy jumped up and hugged John, then hugged Pan, then hugged Sirus. She lingered for a bit, then stepped back and cleared her throat. ">ahem! Thank you," she said calmly. She then broke out into a smile. She turned to her brother, and hugged him again. He hugged back, smiling himself. 

"Well, if we are done discussing your fate in Neverland, I believe there is a party going on!" said Pan. He stood up, stretched his back, and lept into the air. He sailed back through the air back to the dancing Lost Boys and the pumping music. The Lost Boys who played earlier to civilized music had taken over totally and were playing some eclectic mix of grunge, tribal, and metal. 

"Wow," said Wendy, watching Pan 'fly'. John shook his head, and turned to Niko. 

"Listen, grab some a' yer friends. I'm gonna show you sum'pin that'll fuck your mind," he chuckled. Niko squinted at him, then nodded. He put his knife between his teeth, jumped off the bridge, swung on a branch, and disappeared into the crowd. Wendy gave John a slightly confused look, as John rummaged through his duffelbag. He pulled out a plastic baggie, full of marijuana. "I stocked up for whate'er trip we were gonna take!" he beemed. Wendy rolled her eyes. 

"What is that?" asked Corbin, pointing at the baggie's contents. John threw an arm around him. 

"Come wit' me, man! We gonna have some fun! Niko...!" he called out to the crowd, strolling down a wooden walk-way, weed in one hand, Corbin's shoulder in the other, and a wide grin on his face. 

Wendy shook her head, and laughed to herself. "Man, this night's gonna be over soon, and this party's STILL gonna be going, isn't it?" she laughed. Sirus shook his head, smiling. 

"We have a slightly differant cycle here. Days last about...what do you use again? Hours! Sun hangs in the sky for about 18 hours, and the moon hangs for 14," he explained. Wendy did the math. 

"That's a 32 hour day! London only has 24..." she trailed off. "We really are a long ways from home, eh?" she said in a small voice. 

"A lot is differant here," said Sirus. He smiled at her, and began walking along the bridge, spinning his staff. 

"I guess so."   


***   


"John! John, Pan says party's winding down, where the bloody 'ell are ya?" Wendy called. The music had ended not too long ago. The boys were putting their wood-and-wire instuments away, the younger boys trudging off to their beds, hammocks, and nooks. Pan was rangling up the girls, sending the indian ones off to their tribes and the resident ones off to their resting places. 

"John! Where are you!?" called Wendy again. She heard some coughing laughter from a small room perched on a thick branch. She walked over to the window, and peered in. She quickly pulled her head out, white smoke chasing her. 

"Come on in, sis," called John, weezily. He, Niko, Corbin, and four other Lost Boys were passing around what had been a long spliff, now barely a nub. All of them were giggling or staring off into space with a smile on their faces. 

"Oh, Christ... what 'ave you done to them, you frigging cannibus-fiend!?" she asked, half-amused. 

"I been passing around some shit...they're doin' just fine, man....just fine..." he said, exhaling smoke. He chuckled, and coughed a little. Wendy shook her head, then backed up even more as Tinkerbell fluttered out of the smoke-hazy room. 

'ohhh, get outta muh way, i think i'm goin' to be sick,' choughed Tink. Her usual glow of gold had been replaced by a light green shine. She flew back and forth, obviously not of right mind. 

"Tinkerbell? You okay?" asked Wendy, putting aside ill-will towards her for a second. 

'aye, i'm fine. why don' you go an' stuff, ye.... yuir... ' she mummbled, then flew in a quick vertical circle. She shook her small head, and gazed towards Wendy. 'i 'member ye.... ye were in the lagoon...lagooooon...heheheh....yuir the one with thuh--' 

Wendy's dislike of Tinkerbell returned, and remembering her durability from the tackle of John's gunshot, Wendy quickly found herself swatting Tinkerbell away with a flick of her finger. Tinkerbell flew back, sputtered in the air, then settled down into the crook of a branch, muttering about "far-landers" and "funky-smoke". 

Wendy smiled to herself. She held her breath, then stuck her head in the room's window. "Bed time, guys. Pack yer weed, you can smoke tomorrow." 

" 'kay," muttered John. The boys slowly trudged out of the room, some of them muttering about berries or mice. "They got th' munchies," said John, laughing. Wendy flashed a look of displeasure at him. "Ay, I ain't done ANY smoking in there. No way I was gonna miss that shit. But I think I've taken in a little second-hand," he laughed. 

"Bed!" Wendy laughed back, and he shoed her hand away, walking off to his guest-room. 

"Just wait 'til these Lost Girls get a load of me...! Hell, I been getting looks all night..." John muttered to her as he walked off. 

Wendy shook her head and laughed. [Bed time], she thought. [But then again...]   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	14. Moonlit Romance

->>>-][->>>-   
  


He let go of the branch he hung from, landing softly onto the gravelly earth. 

"I thought you'd never get here," she said. 

"Sorry. I had to--" he said, and she placed a finger to his lips. 

"Doesn't matter," she smiled, and their lips met. Slowly, his lips parted, and their tongues entwined. After a minute, they broke away and smiled at each other. 

"I thought you..." he said quietly, then stopped. He looked long and hard into her eyes, and she nodded. "You sure...?" 

She kissed him again, and started to pull at his shirt. He returned her kiss, and broke it only to pull off his shirt. She smiled as they kissed, and ran her hands over his chest. 

He ran his hands through her hair, and down her back. She stepped back, his fingers brushing her hips, and she smiled devilishly at him. She drew her arms down, and relieved him of his pants. He smiled, and did the same for her, removing her clothes. Soon, all that separated them were a single pair of undergarments and air. 

Not long after another kiss, just air. 

He wrapped his arms around her, and kissed her again, their tongues darting back and forth. She ran her hands down to the small of his back, and pressed herself against him. He groaned lightly, and pressed back. 

He kissed her cheek, then moved down, kissing her neck. He could feel her gentle pulse through her neck, through his lips. He kissed her collar-bone gently, then moved even lower, kissing. 

She ran her fingers through his hair, smiling and taking in a quick breath. She chuckled to him, and he looked up and smiled. 

"After earlier, I thought..." he said quietly, and she kissed his lips again. She pulled back. 

"Well don't think. That was then," she said, and trailing her fingers down over his chest, down over his stomach, down... 

"This is now," she grinned. He hugged her again, her breasts crushing against him. They shared yet another deep kiss, and moved back across the sands of the Lagoon. He ran his hands across her shoulders, across her breasts. She moved forward, kissing his bottom lip. Their eyes locked, and they saw deep into each other's souls for a breif moment, it seemed. 

She broke free of their embrace, and lowered into the water, exhaling slowly. She looked at him and smiled. He moved forward, to meet her in the water. 

"Whoo," he said quickly. She giggled, and moved forward to kiss him again. They spun in the Lagoon water, kissing and fondling each other. Soon, their impulses tugging at their brains, they moved to the focus of their late-night rondevouz. The moon was bright, illuminating the Lagoon, illuminating both of them. 

He layed her back, easing her onto the sands of the Lagoon. He kissed her, his tongue lingering on her lips, as he moved himself into possition. "You're sure?" 

She moved forward, reaching out with a deep kiss and a strong hand. 

"Yeah, I guess you are," he said quickly, suddenly out of breath. He moved forward, and she let out a small groan. He kissed the nape of her neck, then her shining lips, and began moving rhythmically. 

She moaned, and kissed him back. She began to stir under him, moving with him. His hands moved to the small of her back, lifting her slightly, gently. He let out a groan, and began moving faster. She gasped, and moved in time. 

They moved together, as one, their rhythms matched as the Lagoon's waters lapped at their legs. The moon shone bright. A perfect, romantic setting. Perfect for what they were engaged in. 

He hurried his pace a little, and she took his earlobe between her lips, nibbling. He grimaced slightly, and she let out a gasp. The earlobe was forgotten, as they started hurrying up their pace. Hurrying, hurrying, soon their slow rhythm had turned into a frantic pump, back and forth. 

Back and forth. 

She let out a low moan. 

Back and forth. 

He let out a hard, long groan. 

Back and forth, faster. 

She gasped, bit her lip. 

Faster. 

His brow furrowed. 

Faster. 

Until... 

"Ahh," she moaned, his hands squeezing her as he moved. 

Until..... 

He let out a low growl of passion, as she dragged her nails across his back. 

Until......... 

"AaaaAAAAHHHHH...!!!!" 

They both let out gasps and groans, his through gritted teeth, hers through a wide-open mouth. 

They collapsed against each other, all energy expended.   


***   


"So you have to go now?" he asked slowly, lying on the sands. He had his head propped up, his arms folded behind his head. She turned to him, smiling, and nodded. 

"And I would think you're expected back, too," she said wryly. He chuckled to himself. 

"Hey, I can most likeyly handle whatever wrath comes my way," he said, warmly, "but I definately think this was worth it." 

She smiled, finishing reclothing herself. 

She started towards the way she had come down to the Lagoon. 

"Hey," he called. She turned around. "It was great." 

"Yes it was," said Princess Tigerlily. She placed her headband over her hair, the sweat finally subsiding. She jumped into the green of forest, taking off in the night to wherever her tribe rested that night.   


"Wooooh," exhaled John. "Was beginning to think I'd never get shagged again out here."   


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	15. Busy Morning

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Sleep well?" asked Wendy, a small half-smile on her face. John just stared at her. 

The sun had risen, bringing rays of light through the tall trees to Jungendstadt. The Lost Boys had slowly risen from their beds, their hammocks, their nooks and crannies, welcoming the new day. Today was Hunting Day. Fresh meat. John and Wendy sat on the wooden bridge they had talked on last night. Michael sat not too far from Wendy, rocking back and forth slightly, staring off into space. 

"I said 'did - you - sleep - well?' " asked Wendy again, slower, with more of a smile on her face. 

"Uh-- yeah," muttered John, who looked slightly disheveled. He squinted, then squeezed his eyes shut, and opened them wide, trying to clear his vision. 

"You don't *look* like you slept well. At least, not like you got a lot of sleep," said Wendy, the faintest trace of a chuckle in her voice. 

"Oh, Christ, spit it out, Wendy," sighed John. She laughed to herself. Before she could reply, Pan floated by, reaching out and grabbing a tree branch, turning towards the bridge. He landed softly between Wendy and Michael, patting the rocking boy on the head. Michael stared up at Pan, then turned back to staring vacantly. Pan turned to Wendy. 

"How's the morning?" he asked. Wendy smiled. 

"I know I slept well," she said. John gave her a little funny look, slightly suspicious of what she was getting at. Pan looked over to him. John gave Pan a wide eyed stare. 

"...and you?" asked Pan. John stumbled over his words. 

"W-uh...good. Yeah w-- um, good. Yeah," he stuttered. Pan gave him a look like his head was screwed on backwards, then turned back to Wendy again. 

"Will you be joining us today? We're going fish-hunting," said Pan, brushing a strand of orange hair out of his face. Wendy scrunched up her face, thinking. 

"Ummmm, sure. When?" she asked. He thought for a second. 

"How about at about two fists?" he asked. Wendy looked at him blankly. 

"That's about an hour from now," said Sirus, walking up a sloping bridge connected to the one the Hildereds were sitting on. "We measure time by lining up our fists from the top level of Jungendstadt up to where the sun is. So one fist is about half an hour, two fists is an hour... you get the idea?" 

"Shit, that's abstract," said John. He thought about it, turned around to face the mid-sky sun, and held up a fist. "Hey! It does kind of work..." 

"An hour it is then," said Wendy, smiling at Sirus. He smiled back. 

"How did you all sleep?" Sirus asked, directing his question mainly at Wendy. 

"Good, they told me," replied Pan on the Hildereds' behalf. Sirus nodded. 

"Ah. So, are you three ready to go fish-hunting??" he asked, clapping his hands together and rubbing them. Wendy smiled at him and nodded. "Great! Pan, Corbin's got his new gear put together and down to the ground, you ready?" 

"Yep, let's go. Up, up, to the moon!" laughed Pan. Wendy stared at him, her brow furrowed and her eyes wide. 

"Uh, it's a saying around here," muttered Sirus. They all stood up and stretched, beginning to walk down the bridge to the main level of Jungendstadt. 

"Psst! Sis! What were you gonna say before Pan jumped in?" whispered John. Wendy smiled devilishly and moved in close. 

"The Lagoon's right beneath my window," she whispered in his ear. His eyes slowly went wide and his jaw fell, tongue trying to form words to no avail. Laughing, she patted him on the shoulder and helped Michael up. He gave her a dazey smile, and she smiled back at him. They walked slowly and followed Sirus and Pan down the bridge.   


->>>-   


They arrived at the ocean within two hours. Seven wolves padded onto the sand, their riders smiling at the sight of the ocean and it's lapping waves. Pan slowly floated down from his flight up high, his eyes focused on the glittering ocean surface. 

"It's beautiful," sighed Wendy, reflections of blue waves dancing on her eyes. Sirus reached out a hand. She took it, and he helped her off the wolf. She smiled at him, "thanks. Still getting used to the whole gigantic-wolf thing." The wolf turned to her and licked its snout. Wendy chuckled, and patted its side, "Aw, you're just a big ol' shaggy dog, aren't you? What do you think, John? Shaggy?" John glared at her, and she chuckled. 

"Make way, spread a path please," said Corbin as he walked between Sirus and Wendy. He made his way over to an eighth wolf making it's way onto the beach. It had a big metal-and-wood contraption strapped to it's back. "Good boy," he said as he began unfastening the leather straps. When all the straps were loose, he lifted the contraption off the wolf's back. It stretched and yawned, it's tongue curling back. "Good, good boy," muttered Corbin as he fiddled around with the machine. "Yes! All right, lets do this!" 

Corbin walked over to the shore-line, and flicked a wooden flip-switch on the side of the contraption. Four spikes popped out of the bottom of the machine, and he buried the contraption in the sand. He turned a crank on the other side, watching a long collapsible tube extend from the front of the machine. "Okay, who's got the bait?" he asked. Wendy, Michael, and John made their way to Corbin and his machine. 

"What's that?" asked Wendy, pointing a finger towards the machine. 

"Where's that bait!?" he hollered to the Lost Boys. Wendy frowned, and grabbed his chin with her left hand, turning his head back to her. 

"Look, Corbin, rules may be different here, and I know you saved me the other night, but when I ask a question, I bloody well better get an answer, right?" she asked sweetly. He nodded, and ran a hand through his hair. 

"Apologies. This is our fishin' cannon. We-- ahh!" he said as a Lost Boy handed him a ratty brown sack. "Thanks, Raine. Now, Wendy... uh.... what was I saying a bit ago?" 

Wendy giggled a little, "fishing cannon." 

"Right! This is our fishing cannon. We simply load it up," he said as he opened the sack and pulled out a severed nosferatu head and shoved a spike attached to the machine in the bottom of it's jaw. He pushed it down the tube. 

"Oh, gross!" Wendy gasped as she turned away. Corbin chuckled a little. 

"We load it up, turn it on, then fire it off," he said. With that, he opened the back of the contraption and poured the black, dusty contents of a small sack into the opening. Gunpowder. "Uh, you may want to step back." Wendy, holding Michael around the shoulders, moved back a few feet. John stood in the same place as before, defiant. 

"I been around loud shit before, so don't get yer knickers in a knot. Fire that thing off," he chuckled. Corbin shrugged, and pulled a wooden-orb on the end of a string. The rope slowly started to return to the machine, making noises as the machine's gears and inner workings spun or clicked. Corbin jumped back about ten feet, and knelt in the sand. He covered his ears, as did Wendy. She quickly took her hands away and put Michaels hands around his ears. 

>SH'LKT >BOOM!! 

An explosion sent the head spinning out into the air, blood spraying across the shore. The head sailed, sailed, sailed through the air. It eventually landed about 300 feet from shore, splashing in the water. There it stayed, bobbing, a long thick rope running from the spike in its jaw to the contraption on the beach. 

John was knocked on his ass by the explosion, his face and right shoulder in black/blue-ish blood. Spots of purple slime dotted his shirt and arms in various spots. He glared at Corbin through a slime covered face. 

"I warned ya! Didn't I warn ya!?" Corbin laughed. John flipped him off, and a glob of blood flicked off his finger and onto his shoe. 

"Shiiiiit," he groaned quietly, flicking strings of blood from his face. Wendy laughed. 

Wendy turned to the ocean, watching the bloody head bob in the waters. "What do we do now?" 

"We wait," said Sirus as he walked over to them. He looked out across the whitecapped waves, the majestic blue waters. "We wait."   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	16. Gon' Fishing

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Well this just sucks donkey arse," groaned John. 

They had been sitting on the beach for several hours, waiting for something, *anything*, to take the bait. But so far, it looked like the larger fish of Neverland's waters didn't find nosferatu-head to appealing. Michael crawled around in the sand, playing with a tortoise he'd found. John and Wendy sat in the shade of a large, bent tree, poking out from the forest over the beach's sand. 

Corbin's fishing-cannon had failed. No bites on the head yet. Corbin sighed, and started to reel the head in for another try. The fifth try, so far. 

"Oh, fuck it," Pan growled. He started running for the shore-line, torso low to the ground, building speed. He ran, jumped, and started gliding across the top of the water. As he flew, he reached out and snatched the nosferatu head from the rope, flinging it towards the shore. He put a foot down and jumped from the water, continuing his fast flight across the water. He pulled a small dagger from under his coat, and cut his forearm along a vein, blood trickling out. He slowly came to a stop, hovering above the water. 

"C'm on, fish, come get some dinner," he said as he grabbed his cut arm and squeezed. Blood oozed out from the cut, drops rolling down his arm. He pushed his arm beneath the waves, and gave it another squeeze. Whitecaps turned to red, and a slight stirring could be seen in waters near by. "That's right, come on." 

Wendy gasped as a large slate blue fin rose from between the water. It sliced through the waves, coming towards Pan. Wendy moved forward to warn him, but Sirus grabbed her arm. "He knows what he's doing." 

"What are you, shit nuts?! It's a goddamn shark!!!" she snapped. "Look out!!!" she called to Pan. He continued to float above the water, squeezing his bleeding arm in the water, seemingly oblivious to the shark fin cutting through the waters, zeroing in on him. 

The fin suddenly disappeared, slipping beneath the waves. There was a moment of serenity, of total peace, and then a gigantic shark rose out from underneath Pan, horrible jaws open, ready to devour it's prey. 

Pan spun around in the air, unsheathing his sword in mid turn, and swiped at the beast. It turned as the blade took out a chunk of its gums, jagged teeth flying. Water splashed up as it slid back down into the waves. Pan spun his sword in his hand, and dove beneath the waves. Water churned and bubbles rose, the occasional splash of red making Wendy cringe with worry. 

Then, just as abruptly as it had begun, it stopped. A few bubbles floated up to the surface and popped, the water went dark with blood, and all was silent across the waters. 

"Oh my god..." gasped Wendy. A minute passed, and nothing but silence greeted them on the beach. John got up from his seat, and furrowed his brow at the waters. The waves had disappeared. The water was totally still. 

"BANGARANG, YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!" hollered Pan as he and the shark arose from the water. He was wedged in the gigantic shark's mouth, feet pressed against the roof of its mouth and back in the bottom of it's gaping maw, sharp teeth jutting out around him. His sword was buried it it's left eye, blood spurting out around the blade. It flipped it's head back and forth, trying to shake the obstruction from its jaws. Pan dug his feet in deeper against it's mouth, and grabbed ahold of his sword handle. He ripped the blade from the great beast's eye, sending chunks of bloody meat flying into the waters. He spun the blade, and brought it into the shark's mouth with him. He let out a cry of defiance, and jammed the blade through the roof of the shark's mouth, all the way up to the halved-coconut hilt. It spun around in the water, bloody mixing with water, and tried to close it's mouth around Pan. The blade sunk in even deeper. It sputtered and coughed up blood all over Pan, then collapsed onto the churning waters, slowly sinking. Peter pulled his sword from the beast's mouth, and climbed out of the 23 foot long monstrosity. He stood on it's side, looking into it's good eye as life slipped away from it. He knelt, and put a hand on it's side. "I bid you safe journey to your next life." 

The shark flipped it's tail a little, knocking Pan off balance, and it's jaws tried to snap shut on his arm or leg. He jumped up, and floated a foot above the water. "Ok, now you can just go to hell, you stupid shit," he snapped. He brought his sword down into the shark's skull, burying it in its brain. The shark convulsed, spraying more blood into the water, and then died. Pan's face was grim. He wiped the water and blood off his face with his hand, and swung his sword in a circle, signaling the Lost Boys. 

"Finally," chuckled Corbin. He pulled the wooden orb on his cannon again, and backed up. With a bang and a splat, the last remains of the flesh on the nosferatu's skull were blown off, and the skull was sent flying out towards the dead, floating shark. Pan glided forward, and caught the skull. He yanked the spike out of the skull, and tossed the cracked cranium into the waters. He tied the rope around the shark's upper jaw. He sank the spike into the back of its mouth, and gave the rope a tug. He gave the shore a thumbs up, and the Lost Boys lined up along the rope and started pulling the shark into land while he pushed it. 

"Oh my God. Do.... does he take on a Mako Shark with his bare hands every time?" asked Wendy, stupefied by what she'd just seen. Sirus chuckled to himself. 

"Well, not every time. A good many of them, though, yes. Although he *wouldn't have to* if somebody's machines worked," said Sirus, directing his last comment towards the cannon area. Corbin flipped him off, and he chuckled to himself. 

"Wow...." muttered Wendy. She looked beside her, wondering what Michael's reaction would be. He wasn't there. Her eyes went wide, and she looked around. "Michael?" she said. No answer, no sight of her little brother, "Michael!?" She ran over to the tree line, where the wolves were tied to branches. "Michael??? Oh, Jesus... Michael!?!?" she yelled, her face turning red. The boy was not anywhere she could see. 

"Yo, guy!" John called to Pan. Pan stopped pushing, the shark near the beach. He looked at John, and cocked his head to the side. "Do a fly-by, see if you can find my li'l brother!" 

Pan nodded and flew high into the air. He scanned the shore, searching for Michael. "Found him!" he called down, and he flew back down to the shore. "Found him, he's over around that bend." Pan pointed to a sharp outcropping of trees. Wendy nodded quickly, closing her eyes and exhaling. She began to jog over to the bend. 

"Michael, luv, you 'round there?" she asked sweetly. She turned around the trees, and saw her brother standing knee deep in the beach water. He was staring at a trail of boulders that rose out of the water. "Hey, Michael...! You wanted to go for a swim?" She asked, kicking her shoes off and rolling up her tattered pant legs. She took a step into the water, and found it pleasantly warm. "It sure is nice in here, Michael!" Michael didn't reply. He kept staring at the rocks. "What's that you're looking at? Hmm, Michael?" she asked sweetly. He pointed at the rocks slowly, then turned and started walking to the shore. 

"Oh, my God...... Michael, you're-- you're walking on your own! Oh, sweety!!!" she rushed over to him and hugged him tightly. He didn't respond in any way. He tried to continue to the shore. "Michael? Luv, what's wrong??" Michael's head slowly turned to her, his face blank. He slowly knelt down in the water and put his arms over his head. "Michael?" 

>BOOM!!!! 

An explosion rocked the shore as trees toppled and snapped. Wendy was knocked back into the water by the force of the blast. Chunks of flaming wood flew like shrapnel everywhere, missing Michael and Wendy by a hair. "Jesus Christ!!! What was that!?" Wendy screamed. She helped Michael up, and they started running. A long wooden boat with a poorly made, antique-looking motor on the back zoomed from behind the rocks, chasing them along the shore. There were five men in the boat, all grungy and dressed like.... "Pirates. Oh, fuck...! Pan!! PAN!!!!" hollered Wendy. 

Pan flew up in the air and saw just behind the tree line, where Wendy and Michael were being chased by a pirate boat. "Pirates!!!" he called to the Lost Boys. They turned from the shark carcass and whipped out various weapons. John looked around, and pulled out his 9mm. The boys backed up from him, but continued on towards the pirate boat. John shook his head, and rushed up to Sirus. 

"Dude, you gotta lift this no-guns bullshit!" he yelled. Sirus looked up to Pan, who nodded his head. 

"Fine, but only in a pirate fight," replied Sirus. He patted John on the shoulder, and ran off to join the battle. John smiled and aimed his gun just above the Lost Boys at one of the taller pirates. 

>click 

His gun was empty. He cursed to himself, and knelt as he pulled out the clip and fished through his vest-coat for another. He heard foot steps behind him. He looked back, and saw Niko. "Dude, yer pals are that'a way. Fight'n some pirates," said John distractedly. He looked back to his gun, and started to slide a clip into the gun when he felt a burning ache at the base of his skull. He fell to his knees, black spots dancing in front of his vision. He heard Pan curse in the distance. 

"NOOooo!!! They got away, GODDAMMIT!!" 

The world went black for Johnathan Hildered.   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	17. Traitorous Stroll

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Ohhhh-h-h-h, fuck me...." groaned John, slowly regaining conciousness only to find his head felt like it had been split apart. "Whuzza--- ohhhh m' head..." 

"Ho, there! Whut'cha got there??" asked a faint male voice from somewhere above. John's sight had not yet cleared; everything was a hazey mess of browns and greys. 

"I got a fuckin' concussion, tha's what I got here," grunted John as he rolled over. He was lying down on a wood surface, bound in rope. The surface was rocking back and forth slightly; a canoe, he was in a canoe. 

"Shaddap," snapped a voice, and the crack of wood against skull marked another flash of pain and blurred coherancy for John. The voice, familiar.... "Drop the plank, man. I got the third one." 

"Aye, ya did good, lad," said the male voice. John felt the canoe shake and he heard a bang. His vision began to focus, and he looked around groggily. He was in a canoe that was floating beside a long dock. A tall, muscular man in raggedy clothing was moving a wide plank towards the canoe. John blinked, and groggily looked over his shoulder. 

"Niko, you fucking back-stabbing co--" growled John. Niko, the Lost Boy he'd met with the other night, gave him a kick in the jaw. "Aagh, shit..." groaned John, feeling very much like his skull was vibrating under his skin. 

"Quiet, you," yapped Niko as he grabbed the end of the plank from the big man and set it against the side edge of the canoe. The big man set one leg against the board, and reached a hand out. Niko grabbed the rope that had wound itself around John and hoisted him with a grunt to the man. 

"G'job," said the man as he lifted John over his shoulder with relative ease. John squirmed against the man's grasp, and was met with a fierce punch in the hip. "Pipe down, boy, or surely I'll give ya something t' squirm 'bout." 

"You'll give ME something to squirm about!? Shit no, I'll give YOU something to fuckin' squirm about, you goddamn gorilla! You stink like rat piss!! Le' me down and I'll show you something to motherfucking squi--" 

The big man hefted him and jammed his shoulder into John's stomach, knocking the wind out of him. "Christ almighty, get me a friggin' gag fuh this one." 

"--fucker--" John coughed out. Niko sprinted up the plank and grabbed a filthy rag from a barrel that sat on the dock. "No way that shitrag is goin' in my mouth...!" John snapped, and squirmed some more. Niko moved forward, and jammed the rag into John's mouth. John let out a string of groans and muffled curses, "...oo muhr-rr fuhr-r! fuh yuh!!! cuhk suh--" 

Niko rolled his eyes, and rapped his knuckles across John's aching forehead. John squeezed his eyes closed and groaned again. The big man chuckled, and began walking up the dock. "C'mon then, lad, get'cha reward from thuh Cap'in." 

The three of them moved up the dock, towards a large rusted-iron gate. John tried to spy through the gap between the big man's arm and ribs, but he wasn't getting much luck there. Niko walked with pride beside the big man, giving John a nasty smile. 

"fuhr-rrrrr...!" John growled through his gag. 

The trio walked up, up the dock towards those menacing gates. The big man reached a hand out and pulled up a latch on the gate, and it swung open with a grinding squeak. John's eyes went wide. 

"Huhhh-rrry fuh..." he gasped. 

A gigantic metropolis of stone, metal, and wood awaited beyond the gate, Infernus City. An eternal work in progress, ladders and board-walkways running between half built buildings, ropes and wires and pipes gave the illusion of giant spiderwebs running between alley walls and high building ledges. Men of all sizes and shapes buzzed around the city, carrying things or steering things or prodding things. All of them, pirates. 

A crooked old man with an eye patch and a vicious serrated sword tucked in his belt looked over to the big man and smiled a near-toothless grin, "whut'cha catch there, then? Issat one of 'ose outlanders, then? Hmmm?" 

"This one's for th' Cap'n. Keep yer claws out of 'im," laughed the big man, hefting John again, knocking the wind out of him yet again. "Y' know where he be today?" 

"Mmmmm, over by thuh cann'n I b'lieve. Wants t' ov'r see it hisself, likesay?" replied the old man. The big man nodded and turned towards a part in the crowd. 

"C'mon then, boy, come get'cher reward," grunted the big man. Niko nodded, and followed behind him. John shot him a look of raging disgust. Niko nervously smirked a little. He looked around. 

The three of them travelled along a deck and up through a sloping alley. From there, they went into one of the buildings, and stepped on a crude wooden elevator. It started to rise, shakily, then stopped. The big man took a hand away from holding John's legs in place, and reached around the side of the elevator. John saw opportunity knock. 

John pulled back a little and thrust his knee into the big man's ribs. He teetered a bit, and John kicked him in the stomach twice, frantically. The man grunted, and fell to one knee, his hand caught over the edge of the rickety elevator. John spit out his gag and kneed the man in the chest. Niko cursed and spun his knife out of it's sheath. He brought it to the side of John's face, right beside his left eye. 

"You're playing a risky game, Johnny-boy," sneered Niko, a small glint of fear in his eyes. 

"And you're about to shit yerself. Don't try and slice *me*, son, I'll fuck you up!" snapped John. For emphisis, he kneed the big man in the ribs again. He groaned a little. 

Suddenly, John found himself being flung backwards, back to the edge of the elevator, over the edge... 

"YOU are a big fucking annoyance, boy...! You watch yerself, cuz it'd be easier to tell th' Cap'n that Niko-boy got 'ttacked by a shark, and YOU was the one that got chomped!!" growled the big man, holding on to John by the feet over the edge of the elevator. "You got that??" 

"Y-- y'uh-huh...." John stuttered. His knit-hat that he always wore slipped off, and fell a good 30 feet to the ground below. He looked down, or from his point of view up, and saw his hat lying on the dusty, dirty floor of the hollow building. "Aww, man," he whispered to himself. The pirate hoisted him up back into the elevator. 

"You pissed yerself?" he asked, gruffly. John shook his head. "Good, I don't want no piss on me shirt," he grunted, and grabbed John again, flipping him over his shoulder. John let out a wheeze, and coughed a little. Niko stepped forward and jammed the gag in his mouth again. John glared at him. 

The big man slowly reached over the edge of the elevator with one arm while still holding on to John, and pulled a greasy handful of greenish black goop from the thick rope holding the elevator. The elevator shuddered, and then returned to it's ascent to the top of the building. 

John squinted as his eyes were blasted with the light of the sun. Below, in the thick of the city, the air was thick with smoke and smog. But up high, the sun shone brightly, temporarily blinding him. He tried to look around, averting his eyes. The big man dropped him off his shoulder and pulled him up to his feet, slowly leading him across the roof. He stumbled a little, blindly. 

He faintly heard men talking and working, metal pounding metal, grimey rock grinding against rock. He shuddered involuntarily. His eye sight was slowly returning. He looked across the roof of the building. 

The roof was about 20 feet long and wide, and at the far end of it was a rope and wood bridge that led to a rocky tower. On the top of the tower was a platform, or more specifically, a platform with a giant WWII Destroyer-ship gun. The long black barrels pointed towards the sea of green beyond the city, the forests of Neverland. Pirates were all around the gun, tweaking and wrenching and hammering. One in particular stood out. He was dressed finer than the others. He wore a tri-corner hat with two eagle feathers sticking out, a long velvet coat, and Victorian-era pants. He was holding onto his sheathed sword with one hand. The other... 

The pirate turned around, staring John straight in the eye. He brought his right arm up to John's face, a long silver hook touching his jaw line. At the end of the arm was one of the most vicious looking men John had ever seen. His eyes automatically jumped between the most catching features; a long crooked nose, a pointy mustache and praided goatee, and a thick curled set of eyebrows above a pair of evil snake-eyes. Just looking into his green eyes, John caught a shudder. 

"Good day, young man... you must be Johnathan," he said, the words slipping out from between his lips like vile ooze, a faint german accent hanging in his voice. He took his hook away from John's jaw, and stood up straight, peering into John's wide eyes. "I am Captain Orthos Von Hook. Welcome to my Infernus City, my boy. Your stay shall not be a long one," he said as he casually drew a pistol from under his coat...   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	18. Rooftops and Lower Decks

->>>-][->>>-   
  


Orthos Von Hook drew his pistol casually from under his coat, and cocked the hammer back. "I hope you see the irony here," he said with little passion as he pointed it. He smirked, a smile fit for a devil, and pulled the trigger. A bang echoed across the roof and into the sky as a small ball of dirty iron ripped through the air and burried itself in Niko's chest. 

"G'uhh-ahck!!" the boy gasped, his knife falling from his hands. Blood trickled out from behind his shirt, and he fell to his knees. He looked dozily at Hook, his mouth trying to form words. 

"Oh, damnation.... load this," muttered Hook as he handed his pistol to a short, fat bearded man who was walking to his side. The fat man took the pistol and brought a small gunpowder skin to the gun's barrel. "I really do hate when people hold on to the last vestiges of life they have. It's so troublesome to load these antiques," he casually bantered towards John as he took the reloaded pistol back from the fat man. He sauntered up to Niko, who was gasping raggedly and clutching the bleeding hole in his chest. He looked up to Hook, eyes half closed. 

"M-muh.... my reward..." Niko stuttered, a faint gurgle in his voice. 

"Yes, well...a bullet is cheaper than silver," said Hook with a bored yawn, his eyes rolling. He looked back down at Niko, and cocked his head to the side. "You DO see the irony, right?" Niko gave him a blank stare. "YOU betrayed Pan, and I'M betraying YOU!" he laughed. Niko coughed, and spit up a little blood. "Oh, for God's sake, if you're too stupid to understand the ironic humor, just settle for the iron part." 

He nudged the barrel under Niko's right eyebrow and pulled the trigger. Another bang filled the air, as Niko's head snapped back. His body hung there a moment, looking frozen in time. But then reality came back to those on the roof, and his young body slumped forward on the roof with a thud. "Clean this up," said Hook, nudging the body his his boot. The fat man nodded quickly, and began to roll the body to the edge of the building. 

John furrowed his brow. He'd never witnessed murder committed with such little care, so little emotion. Even he was sickened by it. Hook saw this in his eyes, and chuckled. "Yrr-uh sck fkk-r..." growled John from behind the gag. A moment of silence hung heavy in the air. 

"Ahem.... remove the gag please?" asked Hook exasperatedly to the big man. He nodded, and pulled the rag from John's mouth. 

"You're a sick fucker!!!" hollered John. Hook rolled his eyes and flicked his hook towards the big man. He shoved the rag back in John's mouth. John shook his head and choked out more obscured obscenities. 

"Bring him over to The Infernus, put him in the lower decks with his siblings," sighed Hook, as he turned back to the giant Destroyer gun. "BACK TO WORK, my lads!!"   


->>>-   


"John!!!" Wendy cried out, relieved and horrified at the same time. The big man was dragging him by his feet into the lower deck of a large Pirate Ship called The Infernus, the very same ship that Pan and Hook had waged war a century before. John looked around. Wooden planks made up the walls, and water stains and warped boards marked the old wood that had lied in the ship for over a century, remnants from the great battle. Wendy and Michael sat in crude chairs, bound with thick rope and greasy cables. Another few chairs adorned the otherwise bare cabin. 

"Wnn-duh...!" gasped John from behind the gag. The big man flipped him up and threw him into an empty chair. He drew out a long sharp poker and pointed it at John's neck. 

"You move, I move," said the big man, flashing a grimey-toothed smile. He undid John's ropes quickly, and pulled out the gag. He then re-did the ropes, binding John to the chair. He patted John on the head, rubbing his fingers between John's short black hair. 

"Fuck you!! Get'cher goddamn paw away from me, you fucking gorilla!!!" snapped John. The big pirate straightened up. 

"The Cap'n will sort you out right quick, lad. I'd watch me tongue if'n I was you," he grunted. He let out a small laugh to himself, and turned around, leaving. 

"Yeah, keep fucking walking!!!" called John. The pirate closed the cabin door. "Piss-stinking tosser..." he muttered. John turned to his sister, looking her over. Small bruises adorned her arms from tight ropes, and tear-tracks crossed her cheeks. He furrowed his brow and looked at her. She stared back at him, silent for a while. 

"Are you okay?" asked Wendy quietly. John nodded, then looked at her inquisitively. "I'm fine... these pirates.... they look like they're in the middle of an industrial revolution. They picked me and Michael up in a really dingy motor-boat. Pan's boys did all they could, and Pan even killed one of the guys..." 

A fresh tear ran down Wendy's cheek. John ducked his head down, trying to catch her eye. She looked at him, tears brimming her eyes. She choked back a cry, and scrunched up her mouth. 

"What is it, Wendy? These bastards.... they didn't hurt you, did they?" 

"No.... I'm fine... but........" 

"But what?" 

"They got Sirus," Wendy whispered.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	19. Meeting Capt O Von Hook

->>>-][->>>-   


"They.....got him? Shot him...?" whispered John, shocked. He stared wide eyed into space. 

Wendy sniffled and nodded. John shook his head slowly, squeezing his eyes shut for a minute. 

"Goddamn them," he whispered grimly. "What happened?" Wendy let out a shakey sigh, and swallowed the lump in her throat. 

"They had some kind of home made bomb-launcher or something bolted to the front of their boat. They attacked me and Michael, and when the Lost Boys came ot help us... these blokes, they kept firing off this damn gun, they kept firing bombs off into the forest behind the boys. Then the...the pirates pulled out guns of their own, and started firing into the group. Pan flew up and whipped a knife, stuck one right in the eye. He fell over the side, and the pirates went nuts. One kept firing off a six-shooter.......I haven't the faintest where he got it...he was shooting like he had a mad-on for the world. And he...hit......" Wendy stopped, tears spilling over her cheeks. 

"Sirus," muttered John. "You were a good one, mate," he sighed, closing his eyes. Wendy cried quietly, and John thought to himself, prayed to himself and to God, hoping that this nightmare would end. 

"So how are you two? These sons of bitches treat you two okay?" asked John through clenched teeth. Wendy shook her head, sniffling and trying to clear the tears from her eyes. 

"They laughed at Michael. Bloody pillocks..." she sighed, looking up at him through red eyes. "They haven't beaten us yet, if that's what you mean. Some of the pirates are grabby bastards," she muttered. He felt another surge of rage bubble inside him. "Hook, he's been treating us okay, although he walks like he's got a board up his backside. Got a queer air about him too, something weird..." 

"Yeah, I'll say. Bastard was actually trying to coax that shit Niko into 'seeing the irony' when he shot him," sneered John, his mind closing around the fantasy of doing great damage to Niko's bleeding body. 

"Oh, they got Niko, too..?" asked Wendy, her voice cracking. John shook his head. 

"Naw, the bastard turned me in to these bastards! He even walked with that shaved-gorilla of a freak who dropped me in here, all the way through this city," John replied. His hands clenched into fists. Wendy shook her head again. 

"Goddamn traitor," she whispered. She looked John in the eyes, then gazed over her shoulder to her other brother, Michael. 

"How's he holding up? You said those codgers were laughing at 'im earlier," asked John. She turned back to him. 

"He's been...I don't know...*distracted*. He's off in a world of his own. When we first got here, it was like...like he was getting better. But ever since the beach--" Wendy said, then stopped. She squeezed her eyes, fighting back sorrow, beating depression back with thoughts of rescue, thoughts of Pan breaking through the hull of the ship any moment now and taking them away to the deep of the forest, where Sirus would be waiting, alive and well, waiting for her. But she realized this was just a fantasy. "Bastards," she choked out. 

"You're goddamn right," sighed John. He leaned back in his chair, and let out a groan of sadness. "What do you--" he began. 

The cabin door burst open, and HE stepped through the door, dagger in his left hand and a look of excitement in his eyes. 

"I hope you will excuse my tardiness," said Captain Hook mirthfully. Wendy gasped, and John cursed. "Excuse yourself, lad, that's no way to speak in front of a lady, let alone your own flesh and blood." 

"Excuse this, shitbag!" snapped John, thrusting his hips toward Hook in a move of defiance. Hook chuckled to himself, and moved forward with a snake-like grace. He twirled the dagger in his left hand. 

"You would do well to watch yourself, Johnathan. Challenges that you throw out," he said as he tapped John on the pants with the dagger, "will be cut down quite quickly, you'll find." 

"What do you want?" asked Wendy quietly, her voice full of silent rage. Hook turned to her. 

"Well, first off, I would like to apologize," he said, waving his hook at the cabin, "for these dreadful accomodations." He smiled at her, sending shivers down her spine. "And secondly, I wish to put a message out to my adversary." 

Hook moved towards Wendy, and brought his dagger up to the tip of her nose. She gave him a look of defiance, not flinching. "Brave girl," he smirked as he dragged the blade lightly along her skin, down over her lips and chin, down her neck, stopping just below her collar bone. She gulped quietly, but maintained her brave stare. "Now, steel yourself, lass," he whispered to her, as he pushed the dagger slowly into her collarbone area. She let out a sharp cry. 

"You fucking bastard, GET AWAY FROM MY SISTER!!!!" screamed John, his eyes flaming with hate and rage, the ropes around him straining. The veins in his neck and temples were sticking out, throbbing with each wave of anger. 

"Quiet, lad," said Hook distractedly. He stopped his dagger, piercing just below Wendy's skin. She let out a small whimper, squeezing her eyes closed as a drop of crimson slowly slid across the bottom of the dagger. 

He pulled the blade out quickly, tucking it in his hat-band. He pulled a small piece of paper from his coat pocket, and laid it across his right arm, above his hook. He took the dagger from his hat, bringing it yet again to Wendy's wound. She gasped as he dabbed it in and began to scrawl a W on the paper. He continued across the paper, until the blood thinned. He sighed, and dipped it back into Wendy's bleeding cut. She gasped again, a tear falling down her cheek, "you fucker....get away from me." 

"In due time," said Hook, not really paying attention as he drew a E and a N on the paper. He cocked his head to the side, and tapped the blade across the trail of blood running down into Wendy's shirt. He finished his writing on the paper with a D and a Y, and then tucked his dagger in beneath his coat. "You'll have to excuse that uncomfortable situation, dear," he said, smiling, "but I do need to put forth an ultimatum to the enemy mine." 

He rolled the paper into a small tube, and banged his foot on the deck. The fat man who had been on the roof with him when John first met him came through the cabin door, a wide crooked smile on his face. 

"Yes?" he asked, drawing out the s like a snake. Hook handed him the rolled-up paper. 

"Attatch it to a messenger pigeon, send it off to Jundgendstadt," he said quietly. The fat man nodded, his beard swaying back and forth. He hurredly waddled out of the room. 

"He won't come, you shit...!" snapped Wendy. Hook turned around slowly, his left eyebrow raised. "He won't give in to any pathetic attempt at revenge you've got! Hell, you were lucky to get a croney like Niko to come," she sneered. He moved in close, his face inches from hers. 

"My dear, listen to what you say, and despair," he smiled. She looked into his snake-like eyes, and thought. Her proud fearless face melted away into one of wide-eyed fear. "You are right," laughed Hook, standing straight, "he WON'T come. You're ours now. Unless, of course, he decides otherwise. And I'm sure that a message written in the blood of a friend will definately slant his decision." 

"Oh my God," whispered Wendy. 

"Yes, hahaheh-heh-heh...." laughed the Captain. "What's the expression, my dear? 'Damned if you do, damned if you don't' ?"   


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	20. A Chat with Orthos

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"I hope you'll excuse this mess, it has been a while since I've entertained company," smiled Captain Hook, ushering in the tied-up Hildereds. 

Wendy, John, and Michael had been freed from their chairs, untied and unbound. 'Set free' they thought, only they found the Captain had other plans. They were led by the fat bearded man into Captain Hook's personal quarters, a lush gold and silver adorned chamber taking up the whole aft lower decks of The Infernus. 

The fat man pulled up three velvet-cushioned chairs from a small sterling silver dinner table. He waved his hands towards the chairs, inviting the Hildereds to sit. Wendy stared him in the eye with a look of defiance and anger. He smiled at her and pulled out a small jagged knife, and motioned again to the chairs. Wendy looked at John and Michael, then sat down. John shook his head and sat down begrudgingly. Wendy reached a hand over and led Michael into his seat. 

"Now, dear children, I imagine you have quite a number of questions that beg answers post haste," said the Captain, his voice smooth. Slime can be smooth however, and slimey would most definately be the way to describe Captain Hook. "But I, too, have a question, a vicious question. One that gnaws and claws at the back of my mind screeching for an answer, baring it's fangs all too often." 

"Do you speak fucking English?" snapped John. Captain Hook smiled at him, and conked him on the head with the bend of his hook. John let out a curse and a groan, and shook his head. 

"I speak the very best English, lad. English, German, French, Afrikaan, and a little bit of Chinese, but let us not delve into my linguistic talents. You," he said as he moved forward swiftly, cutting through the air like a shark through the blue waves beyond the beach not too long ago. "You have been to Jungendstadt, I understand. A very interesting place, I hear. Or heard, from our pre-mortem pal Nikolaus. Full of Losty Boys and Lusty Girls," he said with a faint smile and a faint accent. "BUT, what I was not able to ascertain from Niko was the LOCATION of this most exuisite city in the trees. He was very cowardly in that manner, unwilling to take the risk of harm from Pan if he showed even one of my men Jungendstadt. Ahh, lack of ambition leads to lack of admission. He was hoping to join the illustrious ranks of our merry band of men." 

"English! Speak fuckin' English!!!" hollered John, a slight smirk on his face. "G'unh..!" grunted John as the fat man hammered his greasy fist on the back of John's head. 

"Thank you," said the Captain quickly. "I only ask the location. If it eases your spirit or your tongue, you may give the general area in Neverland. I'll accept that." 

"Go to hell," spat Wendy. The Captain's smile dissappeared. 

"Have I related to you a little 'house-rule'?" asked Hook as he turned to Wendy. He smiled again, and backhanded her across the face. "Children do not speak out of hand!" 

"You a child, Hook? Cause yous seem to be out of hand, yerself!" snapped John, hand reflexively going for where his 9mm would normally be. Gone, taken by Niko while he was unconcious. 

Hook turned to him, a look of dead-seriousness on his face. It sent a chill down John's spine. 

"You are lucky, boy. If I were to strike you for that, I would make sure it was a killing blow, and you are far too useful now for that," snarled Hook. His right arm twitched, his hook letting out a ping as it tapped the dinner table. 

"Why are you doing this shit to us?! You sent that damn pigeon!" snapped Wendy, rubbing her face with one hand and her cut with the other. "You know where Jungendstadt is...!" 

"Ahh, you assume that I've trained our feathered friends myself. No, no, the bird will most likely meet up with a local savage, who will pass it on to Pan or his croney, Sirus," muttered Hook, running a finger over his mustache. 

"You killed Sirus..." whispered Wendy, quietly. 

"Ah-what's that?" asked Hook, leaning into Wendy, trying to hear. The fat man waddled over to him and whispered in his ear. "Oh, that is indeed good news! Just what I needed to make my day! Ahhh, that is indeed a good feeling," sighed Hook, running his hand over his chest. "Now, to cap off this day.... Wendy...where is Jungendstadt?" 

Wendy stared him straight in the eye, and gave him the two fingered salute (the british equivalent of 'fuck you'). "Go sit on one of your pirate swords and spin, you bastard." 

Hook sighed slowly, and nodded. "I understand your reservations towards betraying Pan. However," he said as he gently moved his hook to Michael's cheek and dug it in ever so slightly. Michael squirmed as a single drop of blood ran down his round cheek. "Everyone has their breaking point, my dear." 

"NO!!!" screamed Wendy, grabbing the jagged knife from the fat man and lunging for Hook in one single swift movement. "DiiieeeEEEE!!!" 

Hook leapt back, swinging his hook up. The knife and the hook met in a flash of sparks, the knife sailing from Wendy's hand and burrying itself in a fruitbasket on Hook's dinner talbe. The Captain jumped forward, wrapping his left hand around Wendy's neck and lifting her off her feet. He swung his hook with all his might, and stopped it not an inch from Wendy's right eye, wide open in fear. 

"That was quite fool-hardey, my dear. I will not tolerate that kind of action aboard my ship or in my city. If you wish to continue this battle," said Hook between clenched teeth. He grabbed the knife from the fat man, who'd just pulled it from the fruitbasket. "IF you do indeed wish to continue, then by all means, let us continue. But do not expect victory, nor mercy. I will not hesitate to rip you from groin to gullet." He held the knife out to her flailing hand. She stared down through bulging eyes at the weapon. 

"F-fuhh," Wendy gasped, shaking her head as much as she could in his grasp. He smiled, and tossed her into her chair. She gasped, her hand rubbing her throat. John had a hand on her shoulder, glaring intensely at Hook. 

"I thought not," he said, the words like fire across her spirit. "Oh, don't worry, you're weak, it happens." He smiled, and flung the knife towards the wooden door to his entrance, where a crude picture of Pan had been carved into the door and repeatedly stabbed, thrashed, impaled, or scratched. The knife stuck into the carving's left nostril. 

"Life will imitate art, my dear," he motioned to the carving. "You'll determine if you'll live to see it. Where is Jungendstadt?" 

"F-ff....." she stuttered, regaining her breath. 

"Yes...?" he asked, interested. 

"Ffff-f-f...... fuck you," she weezed. His interest dropped, replaced by cool, calculated thought, manipulation. 

"Perhaps if you learned about the injustices suffered by myself and my men, you'd be more sympathetic to our plight," he said as he sad down in an ornate silver and stone chair. "Did you know we are currently three fold over the city's population limits? And we cannot build more, cannot expand because of the unjust laws of Pan," he said, almost spitting out the name. "We are stricken with disease and famine and pestilence in parts of my dear Infernus City, all cureable if we only had access to the fat of the land, but not under Pan's reich. And the few two dozen whores in this city are hardly enough to satiate my poor citizens. We should be able to spread forth across the land, as God intended, and lay our seeds, both agriculturally and physiologically. It is a crying shame, dear children. And all because of that know-nothing know-it-all pint-sized despot PAN...!!!!" he nearly screamed. He calmed himself, and ran a hand over his coat. The fat man came over and placed a hand on his shoulder. 

"Who's that pudgy fucker? I seen that porker hovering around e'ery where here..." muttered John. 

"This? This is my compatriot, my servant, Smee," said Hook, smiling at the fat bearded man. He smiled back. 

"Your servant? You have a whole island full of pirates to do your dirty work!" said Wendy, quietly but fiercely. Hook cocked his head to the side, trying to find the right way to phrase his words. 

"As the Captain and King of Infernus City, the men look to me for answers; weakness is not an option in this life. However, the life of a captain is very...lonely. Urges must be met without showing weakness to the greater population, if you catch my drift, children," said Hook, his left hand patting Smee's. 

"Oh, my God..." whispered Wendy, looking away suddenly, gagging slightly. 

"You're bloody poofters!!!" hollered John, half laughing. "Ah-hahahah!!! Sis, check this big-bad pirate out, he's a reamer...!" 

"ENOUGH!!!" hollered the fat man in a high pitched cockney accent. He zipped forward with incredible speed and punched John in the nose. John grunted and shook his head, his hand reaching up to find a small trickle of blood. 

"He is skilled in many things, a speedy retort to your digs among them," said Hook nonchallantly. 

"And what o'er skills 's he got? He good at playing the skin whistle, Hooky?" asked John through his hand. Smee punched him quickly, twice in the eye. "Sonofa..." he groaned. 

"Were is Jungendstadt???" hollered Hook in Wendy's face. 

"Up yer arse, go suck a dick!" hollered Wendy back. Hook sighed to himself and shook his head slowly, eyes leering at Wendy. "Or get Smee here to do it for you...." 

Hook spun around and raised the point of his hook under her chin. "YOU are a major thorn in my side, one that I will pull out with minimal remorse. I only *need* one of you to lead Pan out or tell me where he camps!!! You watch yourself, girl. You watch yourself." 

With that, Captain Hook drew his hook high above Wendy's head and brought it down...   


Wendy's world went black, the last sounds of John's frantic curses and Michaels distracted mutterings echoing in her mind.   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	21. Don't Get Hope Up

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"_Wmmmmm-dhhhhhhh...._" called out a voice from the blackness. Wendy shook her head and slowly pried her eyes open. "_Wehhhhn-deeeeee,_" called the voice again. 

Wendy groaned, her vision slowly unblurring. She slowly lifted her head, and looked around. They were in another room. A storage room in the hull of the ship. Big burlap bags lay piled around her, filled with grain or minerals or who-knew-what. 

"Wendy?" asked the voice, totally clear this time. She slowly turned her head around, staring with slightly glazed eyes. John was looking at her, his brow furrowed with concern. "How're you feelin'?" 

"I feel like I got beat on by a squad of friggin' bobbies," groaned Wendy, shaking her head in an attempt to clear the fog that wrapped around her brain. "What happened?" 

"Cap'n Crunch bashed you in the face with his hook and knocked you out. We got taken to a storage room to cool our heels," he responded. She nodded, and looked around. Apart from the bags, the wooden-plank room was empty, barren except for one lone circular window on the left side of the room and the large wooden door. 

"Jesus, for a one handed poof, he sure can swing one," groaned Wendy, shaking her head again. "How's Michael? How's his cheek??" 

"He's fine, he's fine... 's like he's off in another world," sighed John, "hasn't made a peep." 

"Ohh, I don' know whether that's good or bad... he was doing so much better when we got here... now it's like he's totally removed. Maybe that's a good thing under the circumstances, but I dunno if it'll last... or worse yet, if it does, and he never comes out of it..." said Wendy disjointedly, her words slipping from her lips in a murmured jumble. John looked at her hard, and squinted one eye. 

"You okay, Wendy?" he asked slowly, quietly. 

"All this," she said in a whisper, "all of this shite that's happened in the past few days... it's catching up to me, I think..." She shook her head. 

John opened his mouth to try and reasure her that everything would be fine, when a hint of motion caught the corner of his eye. He spun his head around, looking around the room for whatever had moved. 

Nothing. The only differance in the room from the past five minutes was the light from the small circular window had moved maybe an inch to the right. "Phht," he muttered to himself, "I'm jumpin' at m'own shadow here." 

"Do..." Wendy started, and hesitated. "Do you think Pan and the Lost Boys will come for us?" She shook her head to herself, "what happens when they do, and Hook's lot of Treasure Island rejects are waiting for them?" 

"What's worse, though... them coming and duking it out with those goons, or them not coming at all?" asked John back. Wendy pursed her lips. 

"Jesus...... what's gonna come of us? This whole--" Wendy said, but was interupted by the large oak door swinging open slowly. She twisted her head to see around the door to get a peak at who'd be coming in. She gasped, "oh my God.... Sirus!" 

A Navajo boy, roughly 18 or 19, walked through the door, carrying a small tray in his hands. He had auburn eyes, and long black hair. A small white scar lied above his right eye. He was looking at the tied-up Hildereds with minimal interest and a faint trace of sympathy. 

"Sirus... Jesus Christ, I thought you were dead...! Quick, untie--" said Wendy hurriedly, a lump forming in her throat. She gave him a broad smile, tears starting to brim her eyes. He looked her in the face, then spoke. 

"Shaddap." 

Wendy stopped talking immediately, a dumbstruck look on her face. She looked quickly to John, then back at the boy. 

"Sirus..." she started, in a near whisper. 

"Eatin' time. Got some fish an' some bread for ya. Eat it while it's hot, cause I'm not puttin' it over the fire again," he snapped. He set the tray down, and then shook his head, laughing to himself. "What'm I talking about... you three stay tied. Cap'ns orders." 

"Blimey....what the hell's wrong wit'choo!?! You got amnesia or something, Sirus? Get us out of these fucking ropes!!!" barked John. Any bit of sympathy the boy had for them disappeared as a look of anger grew upon his face. 

"Sirus...?" he asked quietly, and shook his head. He moved forward and kicked John in the stomach. John doubled over and gasped. "Don't talk to me about that goddamn fool!! Him and his band of savages and his *master* Pan.... bunch of fucking idiots!" growled the Sirus doppleganger. 

"Who are you?" asked Wendy, her brow furrowed and her eyes obviously betraying her confusion. 

"Billy Jukes, at yer service if you don't ask no more stupid questions. You two think I'm Sirus...? Hahah, a-heh... sorry, pretty girl, but no such luck. Only things I have in common with that _Pendejo_ is the good looks.... runs in the family," he chuckled. 

"Family...?" asked Wendy, nearly whispering. 

"Are you really that stupid, pretty girl?" asked the Billy Jukes, laughing. "The Captain WAS right about you all... bunch a' fools." He shook his head, his long hair swaying behind him. "Well, you act like fools then you'll get treated the part," he chuckled as he set down the tray. Chunks of three sunfish and a loaf of bread sat on the plate, steam faintly rising up from it. "Go 'head. Eat up, and no using your hands... wouldn't be fit to have a fool eat like normal." He laughed, and turn around to leave. 

"So you're just gonna leave us here to eat face first and rot our bollocks off while you play pirate with Hook's goons?" asked John, hate deep in his voice. 

"Hey, s'worked for four years," shrugged Billy Jukes. He waved a half-humoured, half-contemtuous wave, and left them. The oak door swung shut. 

Silence filled the room as Michael stared out towards the window, John huffed and pouted in his anger, and Wendy searched for the words to match her feelings. 

"SON OF A BITCH!!!" she hollered after him. He probably didn't hear her, but she needed to vent. *'Four years ago', that's what he'd said. And Sirus had said he lost his brother to Hook four years ago. Jesus Christ ... twins, they're twins...!* she thought. "Goddammit," she sighed. The hope and the relief she'd felt when she saw the familiar face of Sirus coming through that door turned to despair. All was quiet in the storage room. 

"Umm," muttered John, leaning over and trying to bite at the food Billy Jukes had left them, "you got any ideas? I'm hungry..."   


->>>-   


"God, that tastes bloody disgusting," groaned John, his face smeared with juices and scales from the half eaten sunfish pieces. Wendy had tried some, but found the bent-over position added a headache to the list of uncomforts she already felt. 

"Michael? You want some fish, luv?" asked Wendy. Michael was staring a pile of bags in the corner of the storage room. "Michael?? Come on, luv, you gotta eat..." 

Michael drew his gaze back to Wendy. His eyes were wide and slightly glazed over, like he was in some kind of trance. He slowly blinked and then returned to stare to the bags. Wendy sighed, and looked back to John. "How're you making out with that fish?" 

"G'aauugh....! Crickey an' shite, it's fucking horrible...." he replied, shaking his head to try and get the scales off his face. "Why did God create such a bad tasting creature, why!?" he groaned. Wendy gave him a half-hearted smile, and looked back to Michael. "C'mon...not even a chuckle? I'm suffering for levity's sake here, sis...!" 

"Sorry," muttered Wendy distractedly. 

"Did you actually taste this!? You stick ya face in this fish and then give me your half-assed 'sorry', I DARE ya!!" he barked, half laughing. He suddenly straightened right up, his eyes locking on the door. 

"What is it?" whispered Wendy. John squinted, and leaned towards his sister. 

"I thought I heard steps," he whispered back. 

"So? These pirates stomp around like bloody elephants," she muttered. 

"Yeah. So why would someone be tryin' to move quietly?" he replied. The door shook once, letting out a small noise. A whispered curse was heard on the other side, and the door slowly, quietly opened. A big man with the face of a boy and an IQ to match looked around the corner of the door. He gave Wendy a small grin. Wendy countered his grin with a puzzled look. He was a tall man, six' 7" if he was an inch, and all muscle. He was dressed in simple, plain colored work clothes. A small cap rested on top of his head, adding to his boyish appearance. 

He slowly tiptoed into the storage room, closing the door slowly so as not to make any excess noise. He carefully made his way to the center of the room where the Hildereds were tied, watching out for planks in the floor that would make any creaking noises. 

"Yo, bloke...you here to help us?" asked John in a whisper. 

The big man put a finger to his lips, "shh. Some'un will hear yuh." He moved forward quickly and silently, and knealt down at Wendy's feet, twisting and undoing the ropes that bound her legs. 

"Oh, thank God... quick, get us out of here!" she whispered to him. He looked back up at her and put his finger to his lips again. She nodded and smiled at him. *Finally, some goddamn luck!* 

When finished undoing the ropes at her foot, he slowly set them to the side of her legs. He then tilted himself backwards and started to undo his belt. 

"Whu-- what are you doing?" asked Wendy in quiet tones. He put his finger to his lips again, shushing her, and gave her a devious smile. Wendy's eyebrows lifted, and her smile disappeared quickly. "You sick fu--!!" The man reached across her body and wrapped his hand around her mouth, quieting her. He let out a low, oafish giggle, and undid his pants. 

"Get the fuck away from my sister, you sick stupid git!!! Untie me, why don'cha!? I'll fuck you up!!!" snapped John. The man flashed a glare towards John, a look of faint interest apparent. "Oh, fuck me... don't untie me, don't untie me....!" he yelped quickly. His anger returned, and he started twisting and flailing his tied legs trying to kick the man. "Jesus Christ, you bugger freak, get away from my sister!" 

The man snapped his arm out and punched John in the face. John groaned as his head snapped back, and the man punched him again in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. "Huh-huh-heheh-huh, we're gon' have some fun..." he muttered to himself, trying to pull at Wendy's pants with one hand as he held her mouth shut with the other. She squirmed and tried to kick at him, but he was stronger; he was slowly getting her pants down over her hips, despite all her efforts against. 

Michael let out an angry sounding moan, "geehhh..... leee mahh sis! Wehh-deee!!!" If looks could kill, the glare Michael gave the big man would have reduced him to a pile of ashes. Suddenly, Michael's head whipped around to his previous point of interest, the pile of bags in the corner of the room. "Geehhh hiiihhh...." 

'shore'n i will, lad' 

Tinkerbell's glow cast a line of light across the room as she flew at an incredible speed towards the perverted pirate. He barely had time to let out a gasp before she flew her small, sharp form right through his skull. Blood splattered on the wall behind him, and his limp body hung in the air a moment before it fell back, hitting the deck with a thud. 

"_Jesus Christ_!!!" yelped Wendy as a few flecks of blood dotted her face. She squirmed away from the dead body, gasping at the sight of the gaping, bloody hole in his face. Tinkerbell circled twice in the air, spinning the blood off her small naked form. 

'yeeeech.... tha's the part i always hate. shite, i'm gonna smell like that dumbarse's insides all week' groaned Tinkerbell as she slowly fluttered over to Wendy, who was shaking slightly. 'yer okay, lass. that one sure won't be droppin' his pans any day soon' she said, flashing her needle-teeth filled smile at Wendy. 

"Bloody hell..... that was frickin' awesome! _Shoom, splat_!! Right through that bloke's head! Haw haw hah!" laughed John, kicking the body with his legs as he wriggled and twisted closer to his sister. "C'mon then, Tink, untie us and lets get the hell out of here!" 

"That was you that Michael saw, when the window light shifted..." muttered Wendy, a small smile creeping on her face. 

'aye, but don't get the idea that i like you any...' Tinkerbell laughed. 'Pan's got a plan...but you three gotta stay put. Hook's gotta think his plan is runnin' smooth as silverfish' 

"What?! You're not getting us out of here!?!" said John, his disappointment and annoyance obvious in his voice. "Then why're you here!?" 

'lookin' out for ye, in case one o' these kinds of pillocks decides he's got half an idea in his head...' 

"Well that's all well and good, but it doesn't really give us shit to go with now does--" started John, but he was cut off by Wendy. 

"When's Pan's plan going down?" she asked, cold and calculated. 

'soon as the sun starts to sink to the sea, me mates. soon as the sun starts to sink...'   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	22. The Name Game

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"So, have you thought through my proposition yet, children?" asked Hook as he strolled through the storage room door. Smee and another large pirate accompanied him. Wendy looked up at him, and twisted her lips in disgust. Secretly, she was fighting the urge to break out smiling, since she had been informed recently about a secret rescue attempt that was soon to be under way. While Tinkerbell hadn't given her any specific details, she had told them that it would be soon, and that they should act natural until then. Tinkerbell had then used her remarkable pixie-strength to drag the body of the dead pirate behind the bags in the storage room, and somehow wiped the blood from the wooden planks. There was no trace of her earlier visit to be seen. 

"Naw, haven't really had a chance. We've been playin' a game to pass the time," sneered John. Hook raised an eyebrow and looked at his companions. They both shrugged, and Hook shook his head, turning back to the bound Hildereds. 

"And what kind of game might that be? You haven't an inch to move!" he said, half laughing. Wendy giggled to herself, and John cleared his throat. 

"Fun game. Bloody good. We call it, 'Name That Creep'. We pick a total loser, then think of other names that would fit 'im," said John with a grin. He casually turned his head to Wendy, "I think it was your turn before these blokes strolled in." Hook furrowed his brow, trying to get at what John meant. 

"Yep, it was," said Wendy as she looked over at Smee, then Hook. "I'll go with....Hook is a Buggery Slug." 

Hook's face turned beet-red and he clenched his fist, his knuckles turning white. The large pirate that was standing behind Hook and beside Smee took a step back, his eyebrows jumping up suddenly. 

"Good 'un. Umm....Hook is an Arse Reamer," replied John. Wendy nodded her head, smiling. Hook's furious gaze turned from Wendy to John, then back to Wendy. 

"Lets see..." Wendy said, thinking to herself, smiling. Hook stepped forward, his jaw tightened to the point that some of his gums had begun bleeding. 

"You will cease this...!" he cried furiously. 

"Pecker Pirate!" laughed Wendy. John laughed, too, and jutted his jaw out in thought. 

"Cease, I say!!" hollered Hook, angry beyond comprehension. 

"Nnnnn....Necrophilactic Sodomite!" laughed John. 

"Ooh! Two points!" giggled Wendy. Hook roared and drew his pistol out, shooting at the space between Wendy and John. A lead ball burried itself in the post they were tied to. 

"You two are THE most AGGRIVATING hostages I have ever held...! If I did not need you as I did, I would take great pleasure in gutting you," the Captain said, pointing his hook at John, then turned to Wendy, "and then having you hung with his entrails!!! And while my plan's brilliance would not be met if I kidnapped one of those damn girl-savages Pan enjoys frollicking with, I will not hesitate to do that should you grind my last nerve once more!!! Do you two little _scheisenhunds_ understand!?" Hook huffed and puffed from his drawn-out rant, his furious stare switching between Wendy and John. Silence hung in the air of the storage room for at least a minute, though it seemed forever. 

"Dick Doggie," whispered Wendy to John. Hook let out a howl of frustration and drew his sword. He hollered again, and swung the blade at Wendy, diverting its path at the last minute to cut the ropes just to the left of her. A small flap of cloth fell away from her arm, the cut of his sword having passed mere centimeters from her arm. She let out a quiet gasp. 

"You will shut your filthy mouths, you little wretched twerps!!! God in his Heaven, you are the whelps from hell!!!" Hook hollered. He cracked his neck, and motioned with his hand towards the Hildereds. "Darrow, untie them and move them up-deck," he sighed. The big man nodded and moved forward, a small dagger in his hand. He grasped the ropes that held Wendy, and slipped his knife through the hemp. She glared at him as he glanced up at her, staring at him with firey eyes. He pouted a little, then grabbed her by the front of her shirt and lifted her off the deck. Her eyes lost their fierce shine quickly, and he let out a chuckle as he dropped her to the deck. Darrow then did the same to John and Michael, giving each a deep, gravelly chuckle. 

"Follow along, children, it's fishing time," said Hook over his shoulder, traces of anger still present in his voice. "And you're the bait." 

The five of them made their way through the big oak door and onto a set of rickety wooden stairs, walking quickly up to the top deck of the ship. Wendy squinted as bright sunshine flashed in her eyes. Hook smiled and breathed deeply. 

"Ahhh, there is no sweeter an aroma than that of the mistress sea," he sighed, running his hand over his coat. Wendy glared at him through half-closed eyes, then glanced over to her brothers. Michael was staring up at the clouds, his eyes wide. And John, John was... 

"Thought you didn't swing that way, ya poofter," fumed John. Smee reached forward from behind the Hildereds and smacked John on the back of the head. "Ow!" blurted John, his head whipping around to glare at Smee. "Keep yer hands to yerself, man-bitch, or you're gonna draw back a fuckin' stump." 

Smee chuckled, and nudged John in the shoulder, urging him forward. The three Hildereds moved forward slowly, looking around. They were on the top deck of a huge pirate ship adorned with artifacts from various ages. WWII machine guns were bolted to rails along side Medievel ballistas and Victorian cannons. 

"Why are you doing this?" asked Wendy cautiously. Captain Hook turned around, his stare vaguely interested. 

"Well, you're new to Neverland and I'm sure Pan would just love to get his fill of you..." he replied nonchallantly. 

"No," Wendy cut him off, "why are you torturing the people who live here? Why did you kill those indians, and why are you so hell bent on butchering the Lost Boys? This isn't your land, there isn't any bloody manifest destiny for you here... why are you trying to steal their home??" 

Captain Hook chuckled to himself, "my dear Wendy... are you really that stupid?" Wendy gave him a confused stare. "Do you honestly think that this island is their 'home'? How do you think they got to this God forsaken place in the first place? There isn't a single native to this island with pale skin. And surely you've noticed the differant national heritage between the Boys! Our late friend Niko from Mother Russia, that damned Irish pixie Tinkerbell, the hints of Australian in Pan... do you think any of them were *born* here? Are any of the girls you've seen old enough to bear children to term?" Wendy was speechless. "This island is no birthright of theirs. They may live here among us, but I'll be damned if I let this island go to a bunch of snot-nosed brats." 

"Why'd you drag us up here, Hook? You said we were bait..." asked John cautiously. Hook turned around slowly, his eyes cast upward. 

"Well, that I did. Thank you for reminding me," he said with a sacharrine smile as he levelled his gaze at John, then Wendy. Suddenly, a heavy net dropped from above onto the three siblings. They fell to the deck under the weight of the wet mess of hemp and twisted nylon string. 

"Son of a bitch!!" hollered John, bumping his jaw off the hard wood of the deck. "Hook, you goddamn git, get this bloody thing off of us!" 

"Aaugh...! John, move your leg, move your leg! Goddamn..." groaned Wendy from under the net. The Captain sauntered on over to them, smiling like a Calico cat, and tapped them with his shoe lightly. "Michael?? Is Michael okay?" 

"Hook, you f--" John started, but was cut off. 

"Is Michael okay!?" snapped Wendy, shifting inside the net. John groaned as her elbow jabbed him in a rather uncomfortable place. 

"OH, JESUS!! Aahh..." he groaned. "Yes! Yes! He's fine! Christ, get yer elbow outta my--" 

"Now, children, this is the part where you would be wise to listen carefully," said Hook smoothly. 

"Piss on you, Hook! When I get outta this goddamn thing I'm gonna fu--" John yelled. Smee chimed in, drowning his voice out. 

"The Captain was speaking!!" snapped the fat man as he kicked John through the net. 

John coughed, and twisted around in the net. "G'uughhh....will some one let me finish one fucking sentance!?" Silence settled on their section of the deck as the pirates listened in to hear what their irritated prisoner had to say. "Hook, whats da differance between you and an ill mallard? Ones a sick duck, th... oh fuck it, I forgot what I was going to say, but it ends in 'your mother's a whore'." 

Smee kicked John again, harder. John cursed and coughed, trying to move in the net. 

"You're trying to scare these freaks off with SNL jokes??" whispered Wendy. 

"Children," said Hook smoothly, "would you rather we slipped you on a hook and hung you off the side of the ship?" His pirate companions let out small laughs of their own. "Now," said Hook, calling up to a platform built on the deck, "RAISE THEM, LAD." 

Wendy let out a gasp of surprise as the net jerked quickly and began to move upwards slowly, its tow-line slowly spinning the twisted ball of net and limbs. Wendy stared out through one of the net gaps at the deck below. She saw the Captain and his two cronies standing and staring up at them, saw pirates and scoundrels of all sorts working on and around the ship. She watched as the buildings and huts of Infernus City jabbed at the skyline, watched as the Sirus-lookalike Billy Jukes cranked at a pulley, lifting the net she was in up along a mast. She also saw... 

"That little god forsaken _scheisenhund_..." gasped Orthos Von Hook as he cast his eyes to the sky, along with almost every other pirate on the deck of the Infernus. 

A small dot that was Pan was coasting through the sky, trailing fluffy white whisps of cloud behind him. Hook's fist tightened and his face went beet red as he read the message Pan had sky-written for him.   


_...HOOK RIDES MOBY **DICK**..._   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	23. Destination: Devastation

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"That god damned _scheisenhund_...." Hook repeated to himself, his fist and hook shaking with fury. 

"Uhh, issat true, Cap'n?" asked Darrow, looking sheepishly at his Captain. Hook spun around, a mask of rage on his face as he whipped out a pistol from his belt and shot his lackey in the head. Darrow's skull snapped back as he collapsed onto the deck. Smee wiped a fleck of blood off his nose. 

Hook spun around to face the workers on his ship. "I DO NOT RIDE MOBY'S **DICK**!!" he hollered, his composure quickly shattering. Wendy giggled to herself, and nudged John. He turned his head, leaning in towards Wendy. The net spun on its rope a little, and John saw the sky-written message. 

"Haha! Burn, man, Hook got zinged!" John laughed to himself. Hook growled and snapped his head up towards the net. He pointed his pistol and pulled the trigger, but nothing came forward. He shook the gun, then remembered he had to reload the antique. He fumbled with the gun, trying to reload it with one hand. "HAHA! Hook's got an impotent gun, too!" laughed Wendy. Hook snarled up at them and threw his gun up at them. It fell just short of the net, hitting the mast with a thunk. Hook spun back to his crew, "don't stand there, you fools!! Man battle stations!!!" 

"Yessir!" hollered a dozen pirates as they scrambled around the deck. From where Wendy was, they looked like a small army of toy soldiers rushing around like crazed ants. Half the men broke out in a rush towards a large cabin door that was marked with a red skull & bones sign. 

"No, you idiots! Not ground combat!! Not--!!" Hook cursed at his men. He rolled his head, cracking his neck, and stepped towards one of the guns bolted to the rail of the ship. "Fire these guns!!! Fire these guns!!!!!!" The pirates all stopped and started running to the side of the ship, drawing their pistols from their belts. "NO!! Oh, _du scheise-fur-gehirne idiots_!!!" He cursed in german. "_Der gewehr_!! _Der apparat-gewehr_!!!" 

"Hahaha!! Hook is freakin' out, hahaha!" laughed John. He twisted around and pointed at Hook as best he could through the net. 

Hook looked up at John, "Grrrr-r-r-ah!! _Schlieben sie, linde_!!" snapped Hook. He turned back to his men, who were now loading and preparing their weapons. 

"What'd that germanian bastard say to me!?" asked John, offended. Wendy shook her head, and John hawked and spat down on the pirates. "Wha'd you say, Lefty!?! Huh?? C'mon up here and say it, I dare ya, ya fruity sack a' crap!" 

"Oh my God, John, look," gasped Wendy. John stopped cursing at Hook and glanced up. What he saw made him do a double take. 

Pan was soaring down from the clouds towards the ship, cutting through the air like a sharp green missle. His orange hair was whipping around him as he continued his rocket-descent to the ship, a smile on his face as he swerved and strafed past the bullets and arrows and musket balls that zinged past him. Wendy's jaw went slack as she saw the extent of his aerial ability; he was like a fish, a beautiful blur of green swimming through the sky, descending upon the ship. 

She let out a shreik as Billy Jukes untied the rope holding the net above the deck. With a quick jerk, they began falling towards the deck below, fast. "**Holy shit...!**" gasped John as Wendy let out a shreik. At the last moment when they thought they'd be flattened, the thick cord hanging them above the deck straightened, stretched, and snapped. They fell to the deck with a bounce and a few curses from John. 

"Bloody hell...they're going nuts," muttered Wendy as pirates ran around them, carrying with them crossbows, rifles, muskets, and other old weapons. In the few minutes that they had been hanging above the deck, over three dozen pirates had stormed onto the ship and taken up firing positions on the sea-side of the Infernus. Hook was barking orders and swinging his arms around, occasionally cursing in german. It was a frenzy. Wendy started tugging at the net, attempting an escape. "John, get Michael... I think we can make a break for it..." 

"I think you *can't*!!" snapped Smee as he grabbed John and Wendy by the arms. Despite his short height and rotund body, the First Mate of the Infernus was deceptively strong. He hoisted the two up off the deck, spinning them towards the set of steps they had come up from. "Down you two go! Now!!" 

"Oh yeah, pudge-pudge? Bring it, y' stupid git!" said John aggressively. He waved his arms. Smee sneered and pulled a short knife out from a sheath on the back of his belt. He flipped a switch on it and the blade extended three fold, becoming a long dagger. Smee saluted John with the knife once and began moving forward. 

"Uhh... s-shit?" stuttered John, his hand going to Wendy's shoulder instinctively. Smee gave them a greasy smile and tightened his hold on the dagger. He was about to lunge forward when he heard his captain. 

"NO!!! Shoot him!! Fire the machineguns!! Don't waste-- g'ahh!! Idiots!" he bellowed, his voice full of aggrivation. He turned around and grabbed Wendy by the collar of her worn, tattered shirt. "Excuse my language, my dear, I am about to lose my temper," he said quietly. He shoved her down to the deck, sending her skidding across the planks towards John. "FIRE THE FUCKING CANNON!!!" 

"Sir, we--" began one of the stocky, grizzled pirates. Hook smashed him across the face with the base of his hook and screamed at his men to get out of the way. He moved through the crowd shoved another pirate out of the way. He wrapped the pull-trigger of the cannon around his hook and looked up with hate at the green dot in the sky that was growing bigger by the second. 

"_Sterben_!!" Captain Hook bellowed in german as he yanked the rope. The cannon was still for a second, then it kicked back as a plume of smoke and fire launched a dirty sphere of iron the size of a basketball at Pan. 

"No!!!" screamed Wendy as the cannon ball and Pan neared. All the pirates froze as the black dot of the cannon ball and the green blur of Pan smashed together in the sky. There was no explosion of blood, though, or any sign of collision. The whole of the ship stood in amazement at the sight before them. 

Pan stopped his dive and spun around in the air, landing ontop of the cannon ball, kneeling on it as if it were a harmless rock. The ball came to a stop, and the two hovered in the air for a second that seemed like eternity. Then, with a kick and a barely audible laugh, Pan springboarded off the cannon ball and drew his silver sword, the last trails of cloud whisping off his coat. It shone in the sky as light reflected off it, and for a moment it seemed as if he held the sun itself in his hand. But as the cannon ball fell away towards the sea below, Pan started his blindingly fast descent towards the Infernus again, spinning like a saw blade of death towards the dumbstruck pirates. 

"NOOO-O-O-O-A-A-A-AAAGGHH!!!!" screamed Hook in agonized rage. His face grew so contorted it became white, and his knuckles cracked under the pressure of his tightened fist. He slammed his hook down over the blunt end of the cannon, drawing a small shower of sparks. He looked back up, his neck making a wet cracking noise as the vein in his neck twisted under the skin. The spinning buzz saw blade that was Pan was coming in, fast. "NO! _Mein Gott, das schuft_!! Get out of the way, men!!" Hook bellowed, pushing the slack-jawwed pirates out of his way. "Get out of the way! Get out of the way!!" 

Wendy watched in amazement as time seemed to stall. Everything slowed around her, it seemed, as the pirates slowly broke into movement away from the side of the ship; as Hook pushed over a young man in a pair of brown pants and a dirty grey shirt over with his hook, drawing blood; as Pan spun towards the ship, his swinging sword the only thing distinguishable in his buzz-saw spin. Smee moved forward in slo-mo to aide his Captain. Wendy blinked, and in that second time returned to normal, and she gasped yet again at what she saw. "GET AWAY!!!!" screamed Hook as he dived over another pirate, away from the crowd. He looked over his shoulder in mid-air, and mirrored Wendy's gasp. 

Pan slammed into the side of the ship with the power of a locomotive, rocking the whole ship, blasting through wood and iron and sending chips and shards and splinters everywhere. Pirates were sent spinning through the air, their arms and legs waving in space. Screams were cut short as Pan's sword found flesh, crimson staining his path. Wendy blinked as a few drops of blood sprayed across her face for the second time that day. When her eyes opened again, all that was left of the three dozen pirates and the twenty square feet of deck were a few spinning severed limbs and thousands of splinters and grains of metal falling in the air. The whole ship shook as Pan cut his way through two more decks like a knife through butter. 

"GOD DAMN YOU, PAN!!!!" screamed Hook at the top of his lungs as he slowly got up from the deck. He, too, was flecked with blood, and had a small piece of internal organ hanging from his hat. He flicked it off with his hook, and made his way forward through the mess of unconcious pirates and raw severed limbs. He kicked aside the bloody, slashed head of the young pirate he'd knocked over just seconds ago, and surveyed the deck. Blood was flowing freely across the planks, and had already stained the lower sails. Hook squinted, his eyes focusing on something on the mast. "Mein Gott..." 

Wendy let out a yelp as the mast in front of them let out a loud bang-snap, the wood splintering apart and sending out shards of oak across the deck. The thick mast slowly creaked and fell, shaking the ship and crushing some of the bodies. It landed just beside the huge hole in the deck, shattering more railing and floor board. Hook cursed in german as he heard a small bang and saw a fire ignite on the other side of the mast. One of the bolts on the mast had struck an iron gattling gun, sending sparks across the deck and into some spilled gunpowder. Hook made his way to the side of the ship, slipping twice on displaced vital organs. He leaned over the shattered rail towards the sea, surveying the damage done by Pan's devastating attack. He sighed thankfully, seeing that the path of destruction and carnage had been perfectly diagonal. No breach was apparent in the hull of his beloved Infernus. But the damage to the decks and the mast would take months to repair. The Captain cursed again, slamming his hook against the cracked railing of his once beautiful ship. 

"May you rot in the deepest, foulest pit of hell, Peter Pan," growled the Captain as he moved back over the corpses of his crew towards the Hildereds. He stumbled, and sank to one knee. He looked back to see what he had stumbled on. It was Smee's dagger, slick with a thick brownish liquid. "Survivors!?" called Hook as he bent over and touched the dagger. A few moans and gurgled groans floated up from the pile of bodies and wood. "Smee? I say, Smee!" Hook called. His call was met with silence. "Smee!?" 

Wendy heard the noise at the same time as Captain Hook. A noise like something sailing through the air. Hook got up quickly, his hand going to a dagger he kept tucked in his right sleeve. Wendy gasped as a severed head popped out from the hole of destruction Pan had cut. It hung in the air for a second before bouncing to the deck and rolling in a semi-circle, leaving a trail of blood. Hook rushed forward, his hand open and out. He picked up the head by the hair, keeping it at arms length. 

"Smee," he said quietly. The severed head was that of Smee's. His mouth hung open, strings of dark blood seeping out. Hook stared into the rolled back eyes of his long time First Mate and his shoulders went limp. "You served me well," he sighed quietly. He squinted his eyes, and brought his hook around to the back of the head, drawing it closer. He let out a growl of pure rage and hatred as he read the message carved into Smee's forhead.__

_...HOOK RIDES MOBY **DICK**..._

**"PAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"** screamed Orthos Von Hook at the top of his lungs, his voice full of more pain and anger than ever before. He turned around to Wendy, his eyes bloodshot, his veins standing out, and his face contorted in anger.   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	24. Mess Hall Masacre, pt1

->>>-][->>>-   


"Girl, you've just outlived your usefulness...!" growled Hook. "But your disposal will have to wait. Jukes! Get the crew from the **Divinetae** and the **Nautilus**, get them over here!" he yelled, "and get me some goddamn sharp-shooters! I want to nail this filthy little strumpet!!!" 

Billy Jukes nodded and jumped from the ship onto a hanging rope, swinging from the momentum. He quickly shimmied down the rope and out of sight. Hook spun around and started pulling survivors up from the blood-slicked deck, barking orders at them. Wendy looked around, searching for any pirate that might be watching them. 

"John, now's our break," whispered Wendy as she got up from the deck. She set one foot on the floor to move forward, and found herself being pitched back as the plank broke and fell backwards. John rushed forward and caught her, watching as the plank slowly tipped upwards and sank into the dark rescesses of the gutted ship. "Christ... maybe not," Wendy gasped. 

Pirates stormed over the port-side of the ship, carrying with them weapons of all kinds. Pirates swarmed out from the various hatches and stairways on the ship, emerging from the lower decks. Pirates seemed to be everywhere. Any chance the Hildereds had of escaping was definately out of the question now. 

"Alright, men. This is it! We've finally got that little son of a bitch in our midst!" said Hook in a loud voice, the sound of his words floating over the uneasy crowd of grown men shaking slightly at one lone boy. "Ease yourselves, men, he is just a lad! Now, all of you will fight for our right to this island. Some of you will die for our right to this island. A few of you will be cut in half for our right to this island. But, dammit, this is our chance to rid us of that little wretch!!" 

A cheer ran through the crowd as the pirates readied themselves for battle, drawing swords and loading guns. Obscenities and prayers and words of encouragemen floated through the mass of pirates, and Captain Hook gave them all a big, serpentine smile. "We will win this day, men!! Now, go forward, and shed our due of blood!!!" 

Another cheer ripped through the crowd. Hook began calling out attack patterns and plans and formations, obviously having been prepared for this day for a long time. His instructions were interupted by a skinny, dirty man who came up from one of the stairways. He had a look of panic on his face, and his pant-leg was smeared with blood. "S-sir!" the man called with a slight irish accent, "Pan's in th' mess hall! 's a masacre down there!" 

"Alright, men! Anyone who can shoot straight and work a crossbow, stay up here, set up a sniper formation around this bloody hole. The rest of you, go down there and rush 'im! Go to!!" Hook bellowed. The men hefted their weapons and raced to their positions. Wendy could hear Pan laughing and swiping at the pirates down in the mess hall. She shook her head, glancing towards John. He nodded, understanding that this could be their break. 

"And you," Captain Hook said with a hint of gratification, "are now expendable." He grabbed Wendy by the collar of her shirt and dragged her over to the hole in the deck where pirates with long rifles and crossbows were standing vigilant. Hook gave her a smile, his eyes excited. "Good day, Wendy dear, and _good die_." 

With that, he pushed her over the edge of jagged planks, down into the hole. Wendy shreiked as her feet left the safety of the solid wooden deck and her body entered freefall. Once again, time slowed down for Wendy Hildered. She watched the seconds she spent falling with amazing clarity. She felt like the last moments she would spend alive were the clearest she'd ever spent. She saw the rays of light pierce the dust and grime of the broken planks, saw the splinters and grains of wood fall slowly from their split wooden boards. She saw the pirates loading their rifles and drawing arrows for their crossbows, looks of excitement and fear in their eyes, grime and blood hanging off their fingers. Hook wore a look of his own, rage and glee alternately playing across his serpentine face. 

Wendy let out a sigh, thinking of all that she would leave behind, all that she had done in life, and all that she had yet to do. She thought of Michael and his well-being, of John and his moral dependancy on her, of Sirus and his obvious feelings for her, of Pan and his brash actions and hidden honor. A tear welled in her eye as she fell, but it could not overcome her squinted eyes. Too many tears had been shed over the past few days, too many strange circumstances and weird occurances and unbelievable sights had come to pass before her. She found that the age-old idea of life flashing before your eyes before you die was, in fact, slightly off. Her life did play through her mind, but it was herself that brought the memories to the surface of her psyche. 

She saw the second and third decks pass by her, their planks frayed and jagged like the top deck. *Well, this is it,* she thought, capping off her self-imposed review of her life. She steeled herself for the pain of the fall, for the feeling of her bones capsizing upon her and her veins rupturing with the force of the impact on the mess hall floor. She took her last breath in deep, closing her eyes for the final fall. 

She let out a gasp as the wind was knocked out of her. She opened her eyes and found herself over Pan's shoulder, his body spinning in mid air across the mess hall. "Oh my God," she whispered as she realized she would not die today. The tears that refused to fall earlier came freely now, mountains of relief and aborted fear hitting her like sheets of rain. 

"You gonna be okay?" asked Pan as his feet found the hard floor with a thud. He let her down off his shoulder, tossing his sword from his left to his right hand, readying himself for another bout with the pirates that flowed into the mess hall. Wendy nodded shakily. He smiled at her, and winked once. And with that last gesture, he was off again, spinning back through the air over broken tables and dead bodies. 

"Get the li'l bast'id!!!" yelled one of the pirates, hefting a large, wide sword. He rushed forward, already swinging at Pan. Pan jumped over the blade, then landed on his knees as the blade sliced through the air above his head. He jambed his sword up through the pirate's stomach and out his back, then pulled his sword out and kicked the body across the room into a trio of short-sword weilding pirates. They cursed as the body collided with them, knocking them over. Pan laughed, and jumped into the air, kicking two pirates behind him with a mid-air roundhouse kick. 

"Spring-heeled son of a bitch! Still, ain't been a man yet to fell Wren," growled a tall, burly pirate with a twisted, filthy beard. He cracked his knuckles and reached for Pan. Pan smirked and tossed his sword up, where it dug into the ceiling and hung there. Wren rushed forward, throwing punches left and right. Pan dodged and ducked and sidestepped them all with ease, giving the angry pirate a smile that widened with every blow dodged. Wren growled and started kicking along with his punches. Pan spun around in the air, dodging the blows vertically and horizontally, laughing at the angry pirate. The pirate growled and stopped, his fists ready for whatever Pan had planned. 

"You done?" asked Pan, seemingly uninterested. Wren snarled and rushed forward, his arms open to grab and crush Pan. The Lost Boy ducked and jumped into the air, spinning over top of the pirate and grabbing his sword from the ceiling. He ran it along the pirate's spine as he landed on his back with barely a sound. Wren gasped and twitched, frozen by pain. Pan jumped up on to his feet, up off the deck, and kicked off of the pirates blood drenched back, soaring across the room into a group of pirates. Wren collapsed to the deck, twitching. Wendy's eyes raced around the room, at the blood staining the walls and spilling over the deck, at the bodies and limbs strewn around the room. A wave of nausea washed over her as she surveyed the carnage Pan caused casually. 

She slowly tip-toed over to Wren, who lie bleeding on the floor. The sounds of screams and slaughter could be heard in the background, but Wendy felt compelled to look the man who had so selflessly given his life for Hook, taking on Pan. She cautiously knelt beside the pirate, gently pulling his dirty bandana off his head. He let out a growl, but the pain that surged through his brain weakened his delivery quite a bit. She looked deeply into his agonized eyes, and smiled. 

"Hi," she said quietly.   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	25. Mess Hall Masacre, pt2

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"It's okay... I'm not going to hurt you," Wendy said quietly as she heard Pan laugh. She glanced up and saw him running along the far wall, elbowing two pirates in the face viciously as he passed them. "You said your name's Wren?" she asked. His gaze softened slightly, but he still strained to get away from her. "No, shh, shh.. I'm not going to hurt you. Why would you think I'd hurt you?" 

"Y-ye...." he stuttered, trying to get words out through a slack jaw. Pan's sword had cut deep, damaging the pirate's spinal cord greatly. "You're a k-kid..." 

"I'm a kid?" asked Wendy quietly. She cocked her head to the side, not comprehending what he was saying. His head shook, and he scrunched his shoulders in discomfort. He let out a groan as a fresh wave of pain stabbed at his brain. 

"A-a-all kids...kill m-men and w-women...." he stuttered. Wendy looked at him with wide eyes, taking in what he'd just said. She glanced up quickly, then returned her gaze for a longer look. Pan was jumping, kicking the pirates that surrounded him, sending teeth flying and bending noses. He landed gracefully and ducked, running his sword in a fast circle, cutting the pirates' legs to the bone. They let out howls of pain and collapsed to the deck. "I h-have a wife-- c-c-can't let th' kids k-kill 'er," Wren said quietly, still stuttering. His face contorted in pain at his exertion. 

Pan did a little dance, flipping his sword from one hand to the other as he jabbed the bleeding pirates in their throats. His green coat was stained with tacky strings and dots of blood. Chunks of bloody meat clung to the silver of his sword. He had a wide smile on his face, a look of pleasure and excitement clear on his face. 

"Oh my God," muttered Wendy to herself, "you men don't know anything but fear for kids." Wendy looked around, searching for any pirates that might be waiting to spring out at her. They were all focused on Pan. She looked deep into Wren's eyes. "Listen, Mr. Wren, not all kids are bad. Pan isn't bad, he's only fighting for his home against Hook. Don't you understand that?" 

Pan let his shoulder take the brunt of a swung wooden chair. He moved quickly through the pieces of wood falling around him. He ran his sword straight into the pirate who'd just attacked him. 

"B-b-buhh.... The Cap-- the Cap'n says this is _o-our_ home," said Wren quietly. His eyes were glazing over, his breath slowing down. He was going into shock. 

"You're going to live through this, Wren, and you're going to get better. You're going to tell Hook to stay to his own land, and leave everyone else to their own land, right?" said Wendy quietly, making more of a statement than a request. Wren gave her a shuddering nod. She smiled at him, looking him deep in the eyes. "We're not all killers," she said. He gave her a small smile. 

Her smile disappeared as a string of blood splashed across her face. She looked up, and saw Pan lifting a skinny pirate off the ground with his sword, twisting the blade around inside the screaming man. Pan spun around, withdrawing his blade. As he finished his 360 spin, he decapitated the defenceless pirate. The body sank to its knees and fell to the deck. Pan looked over his shoulder and saw more pirates rushing at him, each with their own sharp weapon. Pan skipped forward, grabbing the freshly disembodied head and throwing it at the pirates. They let out a groan of disgust, parting as the head sailed past them. By the time they'd turned back to their target, Pan was already bringing his sword down. A silver streak marked the air as his blade burried itself in the centre pirate's head, blood flowing freely. Pan pulled back and lunged with his sword, digging the point into the left pirate's hip. The scrawny man screamed in agony and collapsed to the deck, rolled in a ball. The third pirate turned around and attempted an escape, but Pan kicked off the deck and sailed over the pirate in a crouch. He jabbed his sword behind him as he landed infront of the pirate, taking out a section of the hapless man's neck. He let out a gurgle and fell to the mess hall deck dead. 

Wendy gagged at the sight of the bloody carnage Pan was inflicting upon the pirates. She looked back down to Wren. She saw blood on his cheek, and she moved forward, grabbing him by the shoulders. "Wren??" she blurted, afraid he might be dead. He let out a sharp howl, and she eased off. She then saw the floor underneath him. The entire mess hall had a thin layer of blood flooding the wooden planks. Each step the pirates took to or from Pan was marked with a little crimson splash. Pan wasn't letting anyone go, though, and each unfortunate pirate he ran into ended up adding to the flow of red on the deck. 

Pan backed away from two large pirates, each carrying an axe. He did a backflip onto an unbroken table, and kicked the dishes at the pirates. The grunted and cursed as the metal and porcelain hit their arms. Pan did another backflip, this time using the end of the table as a springboard for a long flying crouch between the two. He stabbed the one on his left in the head as he passed by, and then the one on his right in the upper back as he landed. The bodies both slumped forward, one of them banging its head off the table. 

Pan was totally covered in blood now. His coat had turned a sickening shade of brown under the tacky blood that stained him. His once brilliantly shining sword was now a worn weapon of destruction, slick with blood and meat. His boots were filthy with dirty blood, food, and bits of people. Even his hair was slick and matted with layers upon layers of splattered and splashed blood. He stopped in his tracks, and smiled at Wendy. 

"You monster," she said, under her breath.   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	26. Peace Among Burning Wreckage

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"You ready to get outta here?" asked Pan across the room overtop of the sounds of dying men. Wendy gave him a firey glare, her eyes smoldering with disgust. "Yeah, they _are_ pretty bad," he said as he kicked one of the corpses. 

"Lets just get the bloody hell out of here, right now," she said coldly, a look of nausea and horror on her face. He nodded, and began walking through the field of dead and split bodies that littered the floor. As he walked over to her, he jabbed his sword into the piles of bloody people, killing the wounded and weary. She shook her head, doing her best not to knock him one in the face right there. He stopped in his tracks, spinning his sword in his hand with his fingers. 

"Looks like these pirates are like cockroaches," he said, raising his sword over Wren's head, "just when you think you've gotten all'a 'em..." 

"NO!" said Wendy too eagerly and too quickly. Pan looked up at her, a look of confusion on his face. "W'uhhh.... behind you!" 

Wendy's bluff was luckily made truth as a quarted of pirates of all shapes and sizes moved out from hiding underneath a table. They each gave Pan a greasy smile of arrogance and defiance. He smiled, sticking his sword into the deck with a splash. They rushed forward, drawing small knives and brass knuckles. Pan dropped to the deck and spun around, kicking two pirates legs out from under them. He brought his knee up, catching one in the throat as he bounced up in the air. The pirate began choking as Pan spun around, catching the third pirate in the face with a harsh kick. The pirate's head whipped back, and he burried his face in his hands, whimpering and sneezing blood. Pan landed on the deck and elbowed the third pirate in the stomach. As he doubled over, Pan wrapped an arm around his neck and spun him, snapping the pirate's upper spine and sending him sprawling into the fourth pirate. Pan jumped forward a little bit, catching the fourth pirate with one hand. He then pulled his sword from the blood soaked deck and did a 1080 degree spin, decapatating the first and fourth pirates while spinning the excess blood off of him. He slowly came to a stop, smiling broadly at Wendy, his arms extended to show his handiwork. 

"_Daaa-a-a-amn_, I'm good, eh?" he laughed. She suppressed the urge to give him a swift kick to the balls again, and forced a smile. " 'kay, you ready to go?" Wendy nodded, fearing if she opened her mouth her true feelings would surface. Pan cracked his neck, and wrapped an arm around Wendy's waist. He began walking quickly, forcing her to back up at a fast pace. She looked over her shoulder, and saw a bloodstained wall. By the time she'd turned back to Pan, he'd already made it over to the wall and kicked off it, gliding through the air quickly. She held on to him tight, gripped suddenly by a fear of heights. As he entered the light coming from the hole of destruction he'd cut, two arrows zinged past his head. He ducked back to the edge of the hole, slowly floating down onto a table. He let go of Wendy and reached down to the two pirates who lay impaled on an overturned chair, taking knives from their lifeless bodies. He sheathed his silver sword, and bit down on the edges of three of the knives, leaving two in his free hand. Wendy gave him a quizical look, and he started to explain. His words came out as a burbling mumble with the knives in his mouth. He shook his head, and tightened his grip on Wendy. With that, he kicked off from the table, breaking it in half. 

Up they soared through the air, Pan spinning as he avoided the arrows and musket balls of the snipers set up above him at the top deck. He flicked his wrist quickly, sending the two knives into the eye of one sniper and the jugular of another. They convulsed quickly and fell over the edge of the hole dead. Wendy gasped as their limp bodies passed them in mid air. She heard two sickening splashy thumps on the mess hall deck as the bodies collided with the ground. *That could have been me if Pan hadn't saved me,* she thought. He spit one of the knives into his free hand and threw it into the open mouth of another sniper, who began gagging and coughing up gobs of dark blood. *But then there's THAT. Jesus, what a fucking horrible person... look at him! He's enjoying this!* she thought, looking at Pan's smiling, blood streaked face. *At least I'm getting out of here...* 

Wendy let out a shocked gasp as Pan faltered in the air, an arrow burrying itself in the shoulder of the arm he was holding her with. He let out a grunt, and slowed down to a stop in mid-air. Wendy gasped, wrapping her arms around his neck. He flipped his head up quickly, letting the last two knives spin into his free hand. He threw his arm in a wide arc, sending the knives into the sniper's stomach and... 

"OH, Jesus...! That's just.... _eEeUugh_!!" shuddered Wendy as she watched the man fold over, his arms wrapping themselves around his hips. He slowly pitched forward, falling into the hole. Pan reached out and kicked him in the face as he passed them, sending the pirate spiraling down to the deck where he landed with a crunch and a splash. 

Pan seemed to get a second wind, picking up speed again and emerging from the ragged hole. He quickly soared across the planks, ducking as gunshots went off around him. Wendy let out a quiet peep as Pan bobbed up quickly, zooming over a thick pole that had come loose when the mast had broken. He came up to Wendy's siblings, did a circle around them, and landed. His lack of usual grace was apparent. 

"Holy shite, you look like you've been in a goddamn slasher flick," gasped John as he looked over Pan and Wendy, slick with blood. 

"Pan massacred the pirates down in the mess hall," Wendy said, surprised at the neutrality in her voice. Pan nodded quickly and gave a half smile. 

"C'n ya do me a favour?" asked Pan, wincing. John nodded quickly. Pan let go of Wendy and pointed his shoulder at John. "Can you get this thing out of me!?" he asked sharply. John nodded quickly again, and reached forward, his hand wrapping around the arrow. "_AAGH_, SHIT, no _no_ not like that... Jesus Christ, not like-- let go of it! Just _let go--_!!" 

John let go of the arrow, and gave Pan an aggrivated look, "do you want me to get that bloody thing outta you or not?" Pan shook his head, squeezing his eyes closed. He drew his sword, and looked around the ship. 

"Look, buddy, they may not know we're here right now, but they're gonna be right pissed when they find the fuckin' mess I made in their food floor, and then they'll find us quick enough. So either get this thing out of me as quickly and as painless as possible, or you can fend off a city full of pirates ye'self." 

"I can respect that," said Wendy quickly. She reached across, grabbing the arrow roughly and yanking it from Pan's shoulder with one vicious tug. 

"FUCKING-- **OW**!!! oh, Christ....who the hell taught you to pull arrows.... God, _fuck it._ Never mind, just stay here," growled Pan as he rubbed his bleeding shoulder. He lept into the air, and began a fast flight only inches above the deck, slicing and dicing Pirate's hind-quarters with his sword. Wendy shook her head. 

"Are you two alright?" asked Wendy. John nodded, and squinted a little. "John," Wendy said suspiciously, "Johhhhn, is that a tear I spy, with my little eye?" She smiled. 

"Shit... I didn't know if you was dead or alive or what," John muttered, wiping his left eye quickly with his wrist. "Hook tossed you in the hole, then told his arrow-boys that Pan'd probably catch you and they should be ready to shoot or some shit like that... still had me worried as hell." 

Wendy crossed the distance between them, hugging her brother. "I'm here, I'm safe," she replied soothingly. 

"Heh... no shit, sis, I can SEE that. 'sides, I could tell you wasn't gone," he muttered, half laughing. 

"Yeah?" she asked, amused and curious, "how?" 

"Could just feel it," he said. He paused for a second, then simultaniously they said the familiar words that had sparked this whole adventure and ordeal. "Balls to bone." 

"I love you, John," whispered Wendy, hugging him again, tight. John fidgeted. 

"Like, could ya gimme some space here? Only person I wanna hear 'I love you' from is th' girl on her knees with her lips--" he said, chuckling. Wendy cut him off and slapped him on the arm, smiling. 

"Same old, same old," she laughed. She let go of John and moved over to her other brother, Michael. He was staring off towards the sea, where the same fog they had seen when they arrived hung over the waters, clouding whatever may have lied out in the ocean. "Weird," she said. "Now, how's my fave little bro? You okay?" asked Wendy as she lifted his chin, checking for any scratches or cuts that he may have gotten while on board. "Yeah, you're fine, luv." 

"So where did Pan fly off to? And where's that motherfuckah Hook, I want a few words with that jellyfinger son of a bitch," said John, regaining his tough guy composure. Wendy shook her head. 

"Dunno. When Pan flew me out of that hole, I only saw a couple of blurred pirates..." 

"Yeah, they all rushed around like friggin' ants. That mast really fucked up the ship. Hit a metal support beam or some shit like that, sent a big bang through all the decks. Started a buncha fires and shit... Pan did some real fuckin' damage, that's for sure." 

"You're telling me. Down in that mess hall, it was horrible. Made me want to pull a Linda Blair, go projectile over everything. He was out an' out butchering those men!" 

"Hey, thats what they get for screwin' with us! You actually takin' their side??" 

"No, but I looked into one of the pirates eyes...they aren't evil, they're just following orders. This one big guy, he was afraid of me. He thought I was gonna, I dunno, reach out and gut him with my bare hands or something...the fear in this guy's eyes..." Wendy strained for words, "things aren't as black and white as Pan and his Boys made it out to be." 

Silence hung in the air between Wendy and John. They grew uncomfortable, and Wendy decided to take the initiative, "look, all I'm saying is--" 

Wendy was cut off by a spray of blood that spattered her and John. A dismembered body hit the deck with a wet thump, spurting fluids randomly. 

"Whats that 'bout me?" asked Pan as he descended from the top of one of the standing masts. He was splattered with a fresh coat of blood, and wore his devilish grin proudly. He landed on the deck, and kicked the body out of the way. 

"Oh. My. God," said Wendy, reaching the peak of her anger as she wiped her face, "you little son of a--" 

"N-nothing. We can talk 'bout it later, man. Just get us the hell outta here," said John, saving Wendy from an awkward situation. Pan nodded, wiping his arms clean of the blood. 

"Yeah, later would be good. I think I've pissed 'em off enough for one day," he chuckled, shaking his head like a wet dog. Drops of blood flecked Wendy's shirt. She gave him the death-stare she'd given him earlier, and he chuckled. "Later," he said, smiling, "right now, get your brothers together. We're takin' off." 

Wendy and John moved Michael between them, then hugged each other. "Hmmmuh," said John, chuckling, "kind a' like a Hildered sandwich." 

"Heeeere we go," said Pan as he crouched and jumped forward, grabbing Wendy and John by their collars. Wendy let out a gasp and a yelp as their feet quickly left solid ground, and the distance between them and the nearest flat surface increased exponentially. 

"Oh, my, God... Pan, you friggin' show-off," laughed John. Wendy looked back at the burning, broken Infernus. Pan had flown around the ship, maiming and killing pirates as he marked the flagship of Captain Hook's city and army with a little personal graffiti. 

"Oh, like that's not gonna piss them off," Wendy sighed.   


Spread across the deck of the Infernus was the carved-in word **_PAN_**.   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	27. Cold Welcome Home

->>>-][->>>-   
  


They had been flying for two hours, and the sun had almost fallen below the Neverland horizon. They were almost to Jundgendstadt, the great city in the tree's looming on the horizon. 

"Well, mates, we made it," sighed Pan, his weariness apparent in his voice. His arms hurt from carrying the three of them, and his shoulder ached from the arrow-wound. He began to fly low, letting the Hildereds' shoes touch the top leaves of the trees. 

"Um, up-up, up please. Go up... _up_!" said Wendy nervously. The experiance was not helping her fear of heights. She added another item to her list of "I Hate Pan Because"...   


->>>-   


"Welcome back, sir," said Corbin absently, sitting on his DJ platform working on a mechanical weapon of some kind, screws and bolts and tools all around him. Pan nodded, and gave him a small salute. 

"Hey, b-- _woah_, check your arm..." said another Lost Boy as he walked by. He whistled towards a knoby tree branch that had grown up through the floor of Jungendstadt. A small blanket could be seen poking out of a cubbyhole in the branch. "Jerod! Pan's got a nasty hole that needs pluggin'!" No responds came from the tree. "Shee-it, will somebody find Jerod!?" 

"Hey Cahn, what's that 'bout Jerod?" asked another Lost Boy from a thin wooden bridge above them. 

"Need ta find Jerod, Pan's got a wound that needs healing," replied Cahn. The Lost Boy on the bridge turned towards the other levels of Jungendstadt and the spiderweb of bridges that connected them. 

"Hey Jerod!! _Cahn wants ya_!!" hollered the Lost Boy. Silence filled the section of Jungendstadt they stood in as they listened for an answer. 

"Y'uh! Heard ya, I heard ya. Whats up, Tommy?" asked a voice from an unseen bridge. 

"Cahn wants Jerod! Got a healing job for 'im!" replied Tommy, the Lost Boy on the nearest bridge. 

" 'EY JERRR-OD! Tommy wants ya," said the voice. A faint russling was heard as a Lost Boy jumped from the bridge and slid down a vine, landing on a tree branch. Wendy shook her head. The boy looked no older than twelve, but here he was bounding through trees like Tarzan. He was dressed in a red and black shirt and weathered brown pants. 

"Whats up? You hurt, Tommy?" asked the boy, Jerod. Tommy shook his head. 

"Cahn wants ya!" replied Tommy. Jerod nodded, and leapt to another vine, shimmying down quickly. 

"What's the ill, Cahn-man?" asked Jerod, landing in a low crouch on the bridge above Pan and Cahn. He sounded slightly annoyed. 

"Not me. Pan's got an arrow wound. You fix it?" asked Cahn, running a hand through his hair. 

"Shit, why don't you people tell me who it is that needs a fix-n-mix first, save me trouble why not?" grumbled the boy as he lept from the branch onto the edge of the bridge, swinging like a chimpanzee. 

"Jarod's the city healer, but he's not big on people," muttered Pan to Wendy. John nodded his head, but Wendy just moved away from Pan, giving him more of the evil-eye. 

"_Oooh_, that looks like a nasty 'un!" laughed Jarod. He poked at the hole in Pan's shoulder, picking out small slivers of wood. Pan put on a grim face, not making a peep at Jarod's proddings. "Well, you'll be fine 'n' dandy shit," said the boy as he reached into a pouch on the bottom of the back of his shirt. He pulled out a few thin, nearly transparent leaves and shoved them into the hole in Pan's shoulder. Pan let out a quiet groan, and Jarod nodded. "That should get it healin' tonight. You should be hot shit 'gain by high sun tomorrow." 

"Great, thanks Jarod," said Pan, rubbing his shoulder. "How is Sirus?" 

"He's holdin' up as much as he can," said Jarod, wiping his hands. "You know those musket balls though, filthy and sick-bringin'. He nearly got the greens on that one. But all's cool, he's doin' 'kay-day now." 

"Did you understand a single fuckin' word that little chimp said?" asked John in a whisper to Wendy. She shook him off and moved forward, a look of surprised hope on her face. 

"Sirus...? He's alive?" asked Wendy hesitantly. Jarod nodded, smiling like he'd just heard an old, favorite joke. 

"Like he'd lay down an' die. Too stubborn, yep," laughed the boy as he crawled slowly up a tree branch. "He's in-- uhhh.... oh! He's holed up in your old room. We were kinda o'er crowded after the pirate skirmish the other day." 

Wendy rushed for the nearest bridge, a small tear brimming her eye and a hope swelling in her heart.   


->>>-   


"Well, its good that he treated you well. If it'd been a Lost Boy he'd kidnapped, he'd probably have fed you to the Sea Serpent that took his hand. That is, if he didn't jump out of his velvet zoot-suit first," chuckled Sirus. 

Sirus lay on the bed Wendy had slept in the other day, a bandage wrapped around his chest. He looked a little pale and a little ill, but he sounded okay for the most part. The only major problem he'd seemed to have when she entered the room was that he wasn't sure if she was a fever-dream. But once he'd determined she was real, they'd laughed and hugged and shared tales of what had happened in each other's absence. 

"It's... it's really good to see you're...well," said Wendy, trying to phrase her words right without hinting too obviously at her feelings. He smiled at her. 

"It's even better to see you're alive and unmarked," said Sirus with a smile. Wendy looked down, avoiding his gaze and trying to hide her blushing cheeks. Sirus reached out and lifted her chin. He looked deep into her eyes, "it really does do my heart good." 

Wendy smiled at him, a warm feeling spreading around inside. She covered his hand with hers, and returned his gaze. Impulses tugged at the corners of her brain and the muscles in her body. Whether she wanted to or not, she was going in for a kiss. 

Their lips met with a tingle Wendy hadn't felt in a long time. Actually, ever, when she thought about it. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment, enjoying the feeling of his lips slowly but strongly working against hers. She was thinking of progressing the kiss into a more personal method when she heard a knock and a grunt. She and Sirus broke the kiss, and Wendy whipped her head around, automatically glaring at whoever was intruding. 

"Uhh...should I be leaving you two some fondling-time before you come down? Pan wants to lay out an attack plan for the next couple days," said Corbin, edging away from the window and away from Wendy's angry stare. 

"Attack plan? Against Infernus City?" asked Wendy quickly, a hint of rage in her voice. Corbin nodded, and Wendy sprung up from the bed. "We'll be right down," she growled, smoothing her clothes. Corbin nodded and disappeared from view. Sirus shook his head, giving a dumb-struck look at the spot where she had just been sitting, kissing him. 

"_W'uh_... I miss something?" he asked. Wendy turned around, and gave him a look that he knew meant trouble.   


->>>-   


"...then three of us would come up to the south-side on Wyres or Dolphins or whatever amphib's you want, and scale up the back of the ship while we strike port-side," said Pan, pointing over a rough map of the pirate ships on a wooden tree-stump table. He was surrounded by Lost Boys and John, who was picking his teeth with a knife. 

"You're going _back_!?" asked Wendy angrily. Pan looked up at her, a blank expression on his face. 

"Yes," he said bluntly. He turned back to his map, and pointed to the second ship on it. "Now, Hook'll be expecting a sea-side attack this time, so we're going to have to move under the docks and come up through the gang planks..." 

"Or you could stay the bloody hell away from them, you psycho!" said Wendy harshly. She immediately regretted her slip-of-tongue. All eyes turned to her. 

"What did you say?" asked Pan slowly, his eyes leveling at Wendy. She took in a quick breath, knowing she'd already stepped in over her head, but she just couldn't stop the words that ripped forward through her gaping mouth. 

"I saw you tearing through those pirates. You two may have a rough history, but that wasn't a cease-fire or anything like what you told me about... that was out-and-out slaughter! You were butchering those pirates!!" Wendy hollered. The Lost Boys all straightened up, and John slowly set the knife down, eyes wide and darting around at the Boys that surrounded him. 

"This is war..." started Pan, but Wendy cut him short. 

"No, that was fucking _insanity_! You were hacking the crap out of those poor ship-men like they were lambs for slaughter!! They were just following Hook's orders, like the Lost Boys follow yours! That one you paralized had a _wife_ he was trying to _take care of_! And you just sliced him up the spine like he was goddamn vermin!! You weren't rescuing me from Hook, you were doing a fly-by masacre! We were just after-thoughts, weren't we...?!?" 

"How dare you..." Pan said low and angrily. He moved forward, his fists tightening. 

"How dare I what?! Tell the truth!? You weren't our savior, you were a stone-cold killer," Wendy barked back. Pan drew his sword in the blink of an eye and threw it into the floor infront of Wendy. 

"ENOUGH!!!" he boomed, his voice ringing out throughout Jungendstadt. "You may be harping now about my vicious blade, but you sure weren't whining when I was rescuing you from the pirates!! Take your hypocritical ass and get out of my site. Be lucky if I don't banish you by next dawn." 

With that, Pan resumed his preparations for the attack on Captain Hook's city. Wendy glared at him with all the rage she could muster, but he paid her no attention. She spun around on her heels and stomped off towards the Lagoon, desperately requiring some relaxation time.   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	28. Hate and Debate

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"As much as you may not like it, he does have a point," said Sirus nonchallantly. Wendy flashed him an angry look as she dried her hair with Sirus's wolf-skin poncho. Her trip to the lagoon for relaxation-time had not gone smoothly. She was still as angry as ever. Undaunted by her glare, Sirus continued, "Captain Hook is our most reviled enemy, so the pirates that will follow his orders to the end of the world are our enemies by extention. As much as they may be just doing there jobs, that doesn't change the fact that given the chance they'd slit every one of our throats and burn Jungendstadt to the ground." 

"Bullshit!! I looked into the eyes of a guy who was nearly _scared_ to bloody _death_ of me! Me!! I'm not one of your Lost Boys, I'm not a native to this island in any way at all! And still he thought I was going to gut him or something! Pan's cronies have been terrorizing Hook in retaliation so much that the innocent people just doing their jobs think we're a bunch of baby-eating family butchers. That's not war, it's insanity!!" Wendy nearly hollered. Sirus took a long breath, calming himself. 

"First of all, let me remind you that I am one of Pan's 'cronies'; and secondly, do you honestly think we enjoy killing pirates? We may cut them down without hesitation, but that doesn't mean we like it. Not all of us," Sirus said slowly, "do you honestly think that I take any pleasure in murdering people? Doesn't matter their job, it's still murder. You think I _like_ that? This is war. War begets casualties." 

"Well--" started Wendy before being cut off by a small voice somewhere in the room, unseen. 

'ooh, domestic disturbance, then? aye'n it's a grand shame, heheheh.' 

"What is it, Tinkerbell?" asked Sirus exhasperatedly. Tinkerbell fluttered into view from the Lagoon-side window. She did a small circle in the air around Wendy, then stopped in front of her. 

'Pan wants to see you. just you. he wants to discuss your opinion on the current situation,' said Tinkerbell, a hint of aggrivation in her voice. 'you ask me, you're pretty bloomin' lucky. if i was him i'd haul you outta this tree like you was a bag a' rotten animal parts, i would. but then that's just me, maybe.' 

"_Thank you_," said Wendy exhasperatedly as she flicked her finger at Tinkerbell. The little pixie veered back and let out a hmmph. She spun around twice, then made a straight trail to the bridge-side window, disappearing. "Annoying little bugger," sighed Wendy. She looked back at Sirus wearily. 

"I know you're mad, but don't get too hastey with your words," said Sirus quietly, trying to keep Wendy calm. She gave him another angry look, and he moved his head, avoiding her gaze. "I'll, uh... I'll accompany you down." 

Wendy nodded quickly, feeling her blood boil at the thought of Pan's apparent insanity.   


->>>-   


Wendy stepped off the wooden bridge onto the main level of Jungendstadt, counting to ten over and over again in her mind. Sirus put a hand on her shoulder, giving her a little squeeze. She looked over at him, and she felt the words he thought of saying. *Be careful,* she thought, repeating what she knew he was thinking towards her. She nodded, and walked across the light brown planks of the floor, making her way to an indented part of the city. She moved quickly, opening a thick but light wooden door with an archaic symbol carved into the front. "Pan?" she called into the dark of the large room under the city. She heard a small grunt and the sound of footsteps. Light flared up in the room, and Wendy squinted. 

She stepped into the large square room carved into the trunk of the main tree that supported Jungendstadt, looking around at the various nick-nacks and weapons that lined the walls. A flat outgrowth from the wall was covered in leaves, sand, and animal furs; a makeshift bed. Above it was the same symbol that was on the door, carved into the wooden wall. All sorts of riddles and sayings and patterned designs were carved into the ceiling, some of them still bearing the small curls of discarded wood that marked them as freshly cut. She circled her eyes around the large room, finally ending her gaze with Pan, who stood near a large flat outgrowth from the hard floor. On the wooden table that grew straight out of the tree's hollow was a small glass orb, filled with flittering specks of luminous light. 

"Unmature pixies," said Pan, answering her unasked question, "I take 'em in on Tink's account, so they don't get wiped out by some of the local wildlife." 

"Oh, how very bloody _good-natured_ of you," said Wendy sarcastically. 

"What do you have against me? What's got you so pissed off at me?" asked Pan quickly, obviously annoyed and curious. Wendy looked him straight in the eyes, and immediately Pan could feel the smoldering anger within her. 

"You butchered a ship full of young men who were only doing what they were told. You didn't just kill them, you masacred them and laughed about it! What the fuck is wrong with you!?" yelled Wendy, moving towards him with her hands clenched into fists, pure rage in her eyes. 

"Uhm, you may want to watch out," said Pan nonchallantly. Wendy looked down quickly, expecting some kind of prank or joke from the green-clad teenager. Instead, she found her left foot about to go through a large hole in the floor of the room. Wendy let out a shreik, and Pan jumped forward across the room to grab her, rescuing her from a fall that would have ended at the bottom of the forest. Wendy let out a few quick gasps as Pan lifted her back onto solid floor. She looked down the hole in the floor, then back up at Pan. "I use it as a kind a' personal escape hatch. For late night meetings... if you catch my drift." 

"Oh, so not only are you a murderous psychopath, but you're also a sex-fiend for preteens. Good job, Mr. Fucking Morals," snapped Wendy. Pan straightened up, smoothing his coat. Wendy looked around, avoiding his eyes. "Thanks," she muttered quietly, feeling obligated for his rescue. 

"Hah! Aheh-heh, very welcome," he replied, slowly taking his coat off and hanging it on a large spiked war-hammer that hung on the closest wall. Wendy rubbed her neck with one hand, moving around the hole, staring down into the dark. "Go, sit down," Pan offered, motioning towards the fur covered bed. Wendy nodded slowly, eyeing him suspiciously. She sat down on the bed, and made a mental note to get the same kind of set-up for her bed; it was very comfortable. 

"So why did you enjoy _murdering_ those pirates so much?" asked Wendy hesitantly, unsure if she wanted to know the answer. Pan cleared his throat, untying the bindings on his wrist guards. 

"Well, when Hook first moved in to his part of the island, he murdered a whole city of natives who lived there. That was their land, and he butchered every man, woman, and child there just to put up some half-assed eternally unfinished city full of doddering old farts. So as far as I'm concerned, I'm simply equalizing things. Bringing balance. Blood for blood, y'know?" he replied, setting his wrist guards on the floor underneath his coat. Wendy squinted at him, shaking her head slowly. 

"No, I don't think so. That makes sense, but it doesn't explain that frigging insane grin you were wearing the whole time you were down in that mess hall. It doesn't explain why you took pleasure in _maiming_ and inflicting _horrible pain_ before killing the pirates. If it's blood for blood, why not just kill them all in one stroke, as you were so capable of, and be done with it?" asked Wendy slowly, rubbing a hand over her right arm. *Just being near this guy is giving me goosepimples, Jesus,* thought Wendy. 

"The killing's for the natives. The butchery is for Hook. He's trying to take what isn't his, he's killing innocent tribes and bands and animals just for his version of the 'future of Neverland'. I won't allow it. He thinks he can move his shit forward into this island as far as he likes? I teach him _otherwise_. For every pace they move inward, I shed a pint a' blood. That should be teaching him," said Pan, slipping off his boots and throwing them into the corner. 

"So it's 'this is my island, and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let some sea-faring adult let the island go to hell'? Is that it?" asked Wendy, her eyes ablaze, "you know who you sound like? You sound exactly like _H--_!!". Pan moved forward, putting a finger on her lips, quieting her. "_Whu--??_" 

Pan moved forward, drawing his finger away as he planted a wet, hard kiss on Wendy's mouth. She strained under him as he poked at her lips with his tongue, trying to no avail to progress things. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, lifting her off the bed into a standing position. He continued to work his lips and tongue against Wendy, pulling her body up against him. She let out a few grunts and squeals from behind the kiss, then calmed down and started returning the kiss. Pan smiled inwardly as he notched another conquer on his mental tally. Wendy's hands moved forward, from his back to his hips to his... 

Suddenly, he broke the kiss and let out an agonized groan as he felt a tight, horrible crushing feeling on his groin. He let out a squeak, and looked down. Wendy held his crotch in a vice grip, her nails poking through the fabric of his pants. He let out another whine, looking back up at Wendy. 

"_Don't you EVER, EVER, THINK OF DOING THAT AGAIN._" Wendy said, a frightening cold anger snaking it's way through her. "Get this through your _fucking_ head, you goddamn **horny son of a bitch**_,_" she said as she squeezed harder, "_I am not YOURS_. _I'm not one of your indian whores or your Neverland Girls that you can shag whenever you want_. And I am **NOT** going to tolerate your bloody _insanity_ any longer, _understand_?!" 

Wendy felt the blow to her head before she even saw it coming. She skidded across the smooth wooden floor, stopping just in front of the hole that had nearly spelled her doom just moments earlier. When her vision cleared from the jarring blow, she looked back at Pan. He stood firm, his fists clenched white. He had just backhanded her almost halfway across the room. 

"_How **dare** you_," he hissed, his eyes nearly glowing with fury, "how DARE you think to _challenge my rule!!!_ You live on this island, you live by MY rules! You're not in ANY position to refuse...! I gave you shelter, I saved your life!! You should be on your _knees_ with your _mouth open_ thanking me!" He floated across the room quickly, landing in his boots with one smooth motion. He spun around, his face blood red. "This isn't London, Wendy Hildered. This is Neverland. And here, **I** rule. And as **I** rule, what **I** say _goes_. If I say jump, you get on it. If I say bend over, you take it." 

"Fuck you! You're a perverted git, you know that?? A goddamn shit-nuts perv with delusions of grandeur and a bloody retarded name. Pan?? What are you, fucking _cooking-ware_!?! Where's your brothers, Pot and Dish!? You stupid fucking pillock, life isn't your word. There is no way in hell I am EVER going near you again, you crazy little shit!" Wendy snapped back, hollering. 

"That's for damn sure. You pack your shit, girl, and _get out_," Pan said, pulling on his coat and drawing his sword. "And take your idiot little brother with you." 

Wendy jumped up and moved with a speed neither her or Pan were expecting. Before either of them knew it, Wendy had bashed Pan in the nose twice with her shaking fist. She grabbed him by the lapels of his coat and pulled him close. "_Don't you ever fucking say that again, **you piece of shit**,_ or you're gonna be a green stain on this floor!!" she growled. 

"He's a freak," Pan said slowly, a demented grin of wretchedness wide on his face. 

"Motherfucker!!" she screamed in white hot fury. Before Pan could act, Wendy kneed him in the stomach hard. He bent over, not nearly as far down as she had hoped, but she took the opening. She brought her fists together and brought them down on the back of his head. He grunted, and stumbled. Wendy moved around him, and grabbed the back of his coat. "Lets see you fly now, asshole!" she howled as she shoved him forward. He stumbled over his feet, and tumbled into the hole in the floor, falling from sight. She moved forward, out of breath and high on andrenaline. She looked down the hole, but could not see any trace of Pan in the dark. She stepped back slowly, looking around at the room. 

She'd just pushed the leader of the Lost Boys out of the bottom of their own city. "Oh, bugger me... I'm in _deep shite_."   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	29. Reap Your Whirlwind

->>>-][->>>-   
  


Sirus stood outside of the large door, waiting for the two to come to some kind of conclusion. He hoped that they could could sort things out. He knew Pan could pack quite a temper, and Wendy could be stubborn in her ways, but he still was confident that some middleground could be reached. 

He nodded to the occasional Lost Boy who walked by, returning smiles and gestures. He stood fast, guarding Pan's chamber so the discussion would not be interupted. Sirus did his best to look casual, but it was pretty obvious to anyone watching that he was guarding the door. He stood with his arms behind his back, balancing on the balls of his feet, whistling to himself to hopefully drown out the muffled yelling coming from Pan's chamber. He looked around, trying to act normal. 

"Lemme guess, new girl and Pan are dukin' it out?" asked Cahn as he walked by a bridge made of thick branches overhead. Sirus looked up, shaking his head. 

"No, no, just...talking. No duking out," said Sirus, giving Cahn a sacharrine smile. 

"They fucking?" he asked, smiling like the Cheshire Cat. Sirus dropped his smile, telling Cahn to keep on walking with his eyes. Cahn chuckled to himself and continued on his way. Sirus furrowed his brow, turning towards the door a little. The shouting had died down. Maybe they were just discussing things in a civil manner now. 

*Or maybe Pan's working his usual tricks,* Sirus thought to himself, feeling a small twinge of dread and unwarrented betrayal. *No, no. I'm sure its nothing. Civil conversation. Wendy's a good girl, and I'm lucky to have her. She's probably just explaining her feelings on the subject, and Pan's... Pan is probably doing...* 

Sirus turned around quickly towards the door, a look of slight panic on his face. He took his first step down towards the door of his leader, then hesitated. *Can't hurt to peek in and see how things are going,* he rationalized to himself. He took the second step, and jumped back startled when Wendy blasted out of the door and slammed it tight. Her face was red and her hair a little disheviled. 

"Uh'woa...weh... um, how are things...um, going in there?" he stuttered, chiding himself inside for dropping his composure. Wendy gave him a wide eyed stare, then a wide smile. Almost too wide, he could see her left eye twitching in discomfort. "Uhh, are you okay?" 

"**Yes**!" she said loudly, then clamped her hands over her mouth. She shook her head and dropped her hands. "Yeah, jolly good. Me and Pan talked things out. Yep." 

"That's....good," said Sirus, giving her a look of not-so-veiled suspicion. She smiled again, running a hand through her hair. 

"_Uhhm_, I think I'm going to take my brothers out for a ride on the wolves. Get some wind in our hair, fresh air in our lungs, y'know?" she said quickly, more a statement than a question. He slowly nodded. 

"_Yeeeeah_," he said slowly, eyeing her. "Are you okay?" Her eyes went wider still, almost bugging out of her head. 

"Yes! I am. I am fine! Just want some of that fresh air, right? Heh-heh...heh..." she said, chuckling nervously. She moved around Sirus quickly, smoothing her clothes with her hands and moving towards where John was staying. Sirus grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. 

"Hold it!" he said firmly. Wendy froze, her brain racing in panic. "Did you and Pan get things resolved?" 

"Absolutely, _sure_. We debated the whole thing. Got tuckered right out, too. He thought he should go for a... um, fly..." Wendy said, sweating now. She pulled away from him, moving quicker towards the wooden path to John's room. 

"Wendy," Sirus called, his voice stern. Wendy froze again, her heart threatening to pound right out of her chest. She breathed in and out, hyperventilating. "What happened? You're spooked..." 

"Nothing!" she said, trying to escape his scruitinizing eye. She resumed her frantic pace towards the bridge. She suddenly caught a chill, and stopped dead in her tracks. She heard the flutter of cloth along air, heard the clunk of boots touching wood. She heard knuckles cracking, an ragged, furious breathing. She slowly turned around, each inch seeming like a mile. 

"**_YOU_**," growled Pan, sounding almost beastial. "_You get out of Jungendstadt now_, and you never come back. You never show your face on this side of Neverland. **I won't say it again**." 

"**What!?** You're gonna send me off to live with the pirates?" asked Wendy, the pitch of her voice easing quickly as she realized the mess she was in. She looked to Sirus, then back at Pan. 

"You might as well go live with them, yeah. You're practically one yourself, fighting for them. Go be one of their _whores_. I'm sick even breathing the same air as you. _Get out_." 

"Now, wait a minute!" said Sirus quickly, jumping into the standoff. "What the hell went on in there!?" he asked confusedly, pointing towards Pan's door. 

"This little _bitch_ thinks we're the bad guys. She wants the pirates to move in and take over. She wants us to just lay down our arms and surrender," snapped Pan, pointing his sword at Wendy. "She also thinks it's fine to try and kill her current master." 

"I am not your slave, you son of a--!!!" Wendy snarled back, but Sirus cut her off. 

"What?? Pan, I'm sure that you're just misunderstanding..." 

"**So you're taking her side!?!**" Pan barked. Sirus shut his mouth and looked back at Wendy, confusion and hurt in his eyes. She returned his glance, trying to sway him to her side with her eyes. "_Fuck it_!! You can quit playing snake-eyes, girl. Sirus," said Pan, his voice deep and full of burning anger, "you standing up for her?" 

"Pan, I.... it's not--" he replied, tripping over his response, unable to vocalize what he was feeling. 

"Well, then," Pan huffed, "that'll be Lord Pan from now on, Sirus. Cause you're no longer a _resident_ of Jungendstadt, you're a _guest_. One that's quickly wearing out it's welcome. You get your shit and you leave with her, and you do it quick." Pan gave Sirus a dark, almost maniac look, and then turned his imposing stare to Wendy. "Get out, before my blade finds your side." 

"No, Pan-- Sirus doesn't...!" Wendy said, trying to save whatever relationship Sirus and Pan might still have had left, but one deep look into Pan's eyes, and she knew it was too late. She closed her eyes, and exhaled. She gave a quick nod, and stomped up the bridge towards her brothers' rooms.   


->>>-   


"C'mon, luv, time to go. I got your stuff packed, just get your arm through... yeah, there ya go! Good job, honey," said Wendy quietly, slipping a backpack onto Michael's back, helping his arms through the loops. Michael looked at her, and cocked his head to the side slowly, a sad look on his face. Wendy ran a hand over his cheek, a melencholy frown stuck on her face. "Oh, don't worry, Michael luv. It's gonna be okay, we're gonna be okay." 

She gave him a quick hug, then took his right hand, leading him out of his room, which was almost identicle to hers. She set one foot on the bridge that connected her room and Michaels, then helped him down off the window-door. He let out a small grunt, and looked down at the main level of the city, right at Pan. He was standing still, statue-like, staring at his sword in the moonlight. Even from almost two stories up, Wendy could see the bloodstains on the sword, the traces of crimson and black that would never be cleansed from the silver of the blade. He slowly glanced up towards them, and for a second Wendy swore she saw his eyes shine like a jungle-cats in the dark of the night. "C'mon, luv," she said again, urging Michael on. 

They made their way over the bridge to John's room, and Wendy poked her head in. All of John's things that he'd brought along in his duffle bag were still in place; his guns still rested in the corner, his nudie-posters were still tacked up to the ceiling, his discman was still resting on the tree-stump table. The only thing missing was John. Wendy cursed him to herself. She turned around, looking for him along any of the bridges she could see. 

"He's down here," said Sirus from a lower wooden path, his voice flat. "Come on." 

Wendy nodded, and slowly helped Michael down the steep bridge, her hands wrapped around his left arm. Sirus took Michael's other arm, and the trio moved down the planks and bridges slowly anc carefully. By the time they'd reached the main level, a small crowd had gathered around Pan. 

"Gon' miss ya, Sirus," said Jerod, hanging off a thick branch. His gaze turned back to Wendy, a glint of disgust in his eyes. Wendy turned away, trying not to meet too many of the Lost Boys gazes. Cahn gave Sirus a light slap on the back, and Sirus nodded towards him. 

"Come on, John, time to go," said Wendy quietly as she spotted John in the crowd. He stepped forward slowly, almost fearfully. 

"Wendy..." he said, looking down at the ground. Wendy ducked her head down to try and meet his eyes. He ran a hand over the back of his neck, and cleared his throat. "Wendy, um... look, the thing is..." He looked over his shoulder at Pan, who stood with his arms crossed and his sword burried in the floor. He ushered Wendy away from the crowd, ducking down a bit to keep his voice from carrying over the air. 

"Look, Pan an' I got this like-mind thing goin'. Y'know, like that _sympatico_-shit or whate'er. I was thinkin' that if I stayed here, I might be able to convice him to change his mind, y'know...? Get him to understand...understand the mistake he's making," whispered John. Wendy looked him deep in the eyes, staring into his soul. John shifted uncomfortably. Wendy closed her eyes tight, then shook her head. She opened her eyes and looked John straight in the face again. With the same speed she'd found earlier against Pan, she slugged John in the jaw, hard. He stumbled back, his teeth clacking. 

"You wanna stay here and play _jungle boy_!? Fine, **bastard**. Me and Michael and Sirus'll go on by ourselves!" Wendy said, her voice loud at first but quieting quickly. John looked back down at the floor, his shoulders hunched in shame. "We'll get along fine without you." 

"Sis, I-- _It's..._" John stuttered, trying to justify his logic. 

"We'll get along _fine_ without you," Wendy said again, cold anger rampaging through her voice, a lump forming in her throat. Silence filled the air. 

"Time's up," Pan said sharply, breaking the deafening quiet. He pulled his sword out of the deck. "**Get a move on.**" 

Wendy gave him a glance of pure hate, and stepped onto the Levy, she slowly pulled Michael onto the Levy. He shook his head at John, a semblance of a frown on his face. John, turned away, not able to bear the looks of his siblings. Michael's dazed stare turned to Pan, focusing on his left arm. Michael looked up from his arm to Pan's stern face. Michael blinked slowly, then turned back to Wendy. 

Sirus shook Corbin's hand, and stepped onto the Levy, giving Pan one last look. Their eyes locked, and a sort of shared-honor could be felt in the air. Pan blinked, and all traces of respect for Sirus disappeared. He tapped his sword on the side of the Levy, and Sirus nodded sadly. He started the rickety elevator's descent, and gave one last look to the place he'd called home for four years that seemed like four hundred. 

"Sirus, I--" Wendy started, but Sirus whipped around, his staff tapping on the bottom of the Levy. 

"You," he said, hurt and betrayal apparent in his voice, "**don't **talk to me. I've lost my home. I've lost my friends. I've lost blood brothers. And all for you and your stubborness." 

"Now wait a minute! Pan was--" 

"Doesn't matter what Pan was doing or saying or thinking or anything. This isn't England. This isn't your land. This is Neverland. It's _his_. Don't you understand that?? Because if not, this little shit-storm should have definately shoved that concept through your skull. We've just been condemned to absolute solitary. All the tribes and bands and camps over the island, they all pledge alleigance to _Pan_. We've got no home now, no one to go to, no protection against anything like the Nosferatu or the Komodos or the Edensnakes or any other animal that could tear us apart in seconds. We are completely at whatever mercy Neverland grants us, and this island gives _none_ to anyone. We're alone. Do you understand that? We're alone and helpless against whatever's prowling out there tonight." 

Wendy gasped to herself, realizing the depth of the mess she'd stepped into. 

"_We'll be dead by dawn_," Sirus muttered.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	30. Sprint Through Green

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"How much farther--" Wendy asked quietly before she was cut off by Sirus. He brought his palm up, silencing her. He looked back and gave her an cold squint. She let out a small sigh and looked around. "Yeah," she whispered, so quiet that even she couldn't hear herself, "I'm in one steaming pile of shite now." Michael rubbed against her arm, giving her a questioning look. She looked in his eyes, and gave him a wink. 

They had been walking through the dark and the greenery for over two hours, and had only seen the moon once through the dense forest. Wendy had done her best to keep back yelps and squeals when the sounds of night hunters cries echoed through the sky. Sirus had remained in front of her at all times, batting back vines and branches with his staff and keeping her silent whenever she had a question. She looked around, trying to discern her surroundings in the black of the night. 

"Psst ... Sirus," Wendy whispered slowly and quietly. He didn't respond. She tapped him on the shoulder, looking around. He turned back to her slowly, looking at her through half-lidded eyes. "Where .... are ..... we?" 

"Quiet," he said quickly, glancing upward into the mess of branches and leaves overhead. She opened her mouth to repeat the question, tugging on his wolf-skin poncho. He strained his eyes, mouthing complains to himself. "Another hour 'til sleep," he said, cutting down his sentance to get it out as quickly and quietly as possible. He turned back to the path he was beating. Wendy tugged on his poncho again. He spun back, exhasperated. 

"Are .... you .... _mad_ .... at .... me?" Wendy said almost silently. Sirus gave her an icy glare and rolled his eyes, turning back to his path once again. Wendy frowned and resumed her faithful following behind him. 

"Quiet," he said again. He slowly pushed a branch out of the way, lifting it up gingerly. Wendy looked around stepped forward, helping Michael over the leaves and sticks. Michael started to utter something, but Wendy softly closed her hand over his mouth. He blinked at her, and continued moving forward. Sirus moved to the side of his path, letting Wendy and Michael by. 

Wendy jerked her head towards the sky when a shrill cry rang out. "Sirus..." she whispered. He put his hand up to silence her and pointed towards a break in the trees. 

"Sen'ghen birds," he whispered, pointing to a flock of winged creatures that resembled highspeed airborne peacocks. Their feathers shimmered in the moonlight, their wings casting faint trails of light in the night sky. 

"They're beautiful," said Wendy quietly as she smiled up at the wonderous sight before them. Sirus nodded, and reached under his poncho. "Are they an endangered species? I've never seen a bird like that..." 

Sirus let out a quick breath and spun his arm, letting a thin sharp bolt rip through the air. It pierced one of the birds in mid flight, and it let out a warbling half-cry as it spiralled down to the forest. It's fellow birds let out quiet squawks and began to fly higher, away from whatever danger had befallen their brother. 

"What the _hell_...!?" said Wendy, forgetting her need for silence. Sirus spun around and clamped both hands over her mouth, his head darting back and forth, scanning the trees. 

"Foolish, _foolish_ girl...." he said in a voice so low Wendy wasn't sure she'd actually heard him. He quickly moved one hand from her mouth to her shoulder, pushing her down to her knees. He followed, ducking down into the mess of branches and leaves and wild grass. Wendy tugged on Michael's shirt sleeve, and he too ducked down. "We might have been just under a dozen predators' senses before, and that Sen'ghen might have put them off our trail for the night before, but you had to **open your mouth**--!" Sirus said harshly, still amazingly quiet. Wendy shifted uncomfortably in her clothes, looking around at the surrounding forest. What predators was he talking about? 

A hungered clicking-hiss emanated from the deep of the forest, towards their previous path. Wendy heard the sound of something moving, slithering over branches and through leaves, leaving clicks and hisses echoing behind it. Sirus closed his eyes tight for a moment, then sprang into action. 

He jumped over the hunched over Wendy and Michael, the blades springing from the club of his staff. He swung it in an arc through a set of bushes, a wet thud filling the air as a huge, possibly fifteen foot snake spilled out from the foliage. It writhed and hissed, spinning around on the ground, rearing its head up finally and opening it's mouth wide and baring its long curved fangs at Sirus. He jambed his staff into its mouth, then pulled the staff down to the ground, tugging the head with it. The snake let out a sick '_khack_!' and writhed some more. Sirus pulled his staff free and stuck the beast through the spine with his staff, pinning it to the ground. He jumped over its thrashing coils and took ahold of two long curving horns that sprouted from the back of its skull. He let out a grunt and yanked on them, twisting its head and breaking its neck. It let out a long, shuddering sigh and finally lied still. He pulled his staff free, and jambed it into the ground where it stood erect and still. He reached under his poncho and pulled another bolt out, made of smoothed bone, and stuck it under the dead snake's jaw, dragging the point from the edge of its chops to the middle of its long, scaly body. Wendy let out a small gag as the snake's dark blood and twisted innards spilled out over the path. Sirus dug his hands into the mess and tossed whatever didn't slip from his fingers into the dark of the forest. 

"Jesus Christ, what are you doing??" Wendy said, a hand over her mouth. Michael sat on the ground, watching with a strange sort of disjointed interest. Sirus opened the snake's mouth and grabbed its long fangs. Wendy flinched and turned away as he pulled the teeth viciously from its mouth. He shoved his hands into its open mouth and wiggled them, wiping the snake's blood off on the purplish-pink of its tongue and cheeks. 

"Your little outburst is going to attract more than this Edensnake, and I want to keep them off our trail as long as possible. Thats what the bird was for...! Christ, if there's a Drakuel somewhere near than we are in _deep trouble_," said Sirus, aggitated. He grabbed his staff and gave it a spin, knocking the blood and the dirt from it. He quickly ran towards Wendy and Michael, his body low to the ground. "Get up, get moving, don't make any noise." 

"What's a Drakuel--??" Wendy asked. Sirus cut her off by pressing her mouth shut roughly and grabbing her arm with his free hand. 

"**_Quiet!_**" he said sharply. She glared at him, her mouth scrunched up in anger. She slowly nodded and followed him as he ran. Far from behind them, she heard a noise she had hoped never to hear again. 

A piercing feral cry rang out in the night. 

Nosferatu were out and hunting.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	31. The Beasts Return

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Oh fuck me, you're _kidding me_..." Wendy said, panic clear in her voice. Sirus jerked on her arm, speeding up. 

"**Shhuh**!!" he snapped, moving even lower to the ground. Wendy tried to mimic his actions, but ended up tripping when she tried to get as low as he was. He cursed in Navajo and spun around, pulling her to her feet quickly, looking over her shoulders. Wendy glanced back and gasped. 

Nosferatu were circling their previous position, diving in and out of the tree's, coming up with chunks of meat clutched in their jaws. She could see one was dipping up and down in the air, ripping the feathers from the Sen'ghen bird Sirus had killed. She felt sick. 

"Weehhhh," said Michael, also looking back, "whahhhh--??" 

"Don't talk, luv, just run..._just run_," Wendy said breathlessly. Sirus was smashing branches and vines out of the way with his staff left and right, clearing the path directly infront of them. Suddenly, he stopped. He looked back at the bloodthirsty beasts, then down at his left hand. 

"What-- What is it?" asked Wendy, breathing heavily from her exertion. He ran his fingers over his hand, wincing slightly. He looked back up at her as he dug his fingers into an unseen wound. 

"My blood," he said simply. He lifted his right hand, a jagged sliver of tooth between his fingers. Wendy furrowed his brow, trying to understand. Her eyes went wide as she looked back at their trail. While it was miniscule and almost unseeable, she managed to find the thing that had sparked Sirus's change in attitude. A single drop of blood was slowly sliding down a leaf, leaving a crimson stain across the green. Her eyes darted across their path, and she spotted three more single drops of blood, spread out along their path. Sirus shook his head, looking down at the now freely-bleeding wound in his hand. "_That damn snake_..." 

"Talk later, we gotta make tracks," Wendy said quickly, "you said it yourself." 

Sirus turned to her, his face blank. "They'll follow the blood. They're like sharks," he said, his voice full of indecision. Wendy looked at his hand, then back at the drops. She could already picture the sleek beasts riding the air on their leathery wings, swooping down to pick at them slowly as they hunched under a tree or something. Wendy shuddered. "Keep going in a straight line until you hit a wing," said Sirus, squeezing his left arm at the bicep. Blood trickled out of his hand, running over the edge of his palm. 

"What...?" said Wendy, shaking her head. She had a faint idea of what he was getting at. "_No bloody way_, no way you're playing hero. Stop squeezing your arm, you bloody pillock, and get running!" she said as she broke out into a run. Sirus grabbed her by the arm, not letting her get away. 

"If you stay this course, you're gonna come up to a wing... it's a wing from a Fokker plane, World War II. It'll be sticking out of the ground, pointing in one direction. Go the opposite way, you should find a small pond surrounded by some trees and chainmail fencing. Go." 

"Sirus..." Wendy started. 

"**Go!**" he shouted, swinging his left arm in the air. Strings of blood spattered the leaves around them. He grabbed her and pulled her close with his right arm, looking into her eyes, "I'll die for you, Wendy, but not tonight. I'm gonna meet you there, but you have to go _now_!" 

"O-okay," Wendy said hesitantly. She heard a shreik behind her, maybe a little under a fifty yards. Sirus urged her on, and she took Michael's arm. "We'll meet you there?" 

"**_Go!!_**" he said again, spinning his staff and flicking blood on the trees to the left of their path. She understood what he was doing. Sirus was marking a false path with blood so the Nosferatu would think they had gone into the forest left of their actual path. She nodded to him, and began running, pulling Michael along with her. They ran as fast as they could, jumping and making their way around branches and roots and vines and obstacles of all sorts. 

Wendy looked back as they ran, and saw Sirus swiping at an incoming Nosferatu with his staff. The club found the side of its head, and it went spinning into a tree. Another one flew over it, letting out a shreik as it groped with its talons for fresh meat. Sirus jumped back and stabbed it twice in the stomach with the blades on his staff, then smashed it in the snout with the other end. It, too, went flying off into a tree. He jumped around, swinging his weapon and calling out in Navajo at the beasts. 

Wendy turned back to the path, jumping over high roots and batting away the smaller branches. Suddenly, she felt a force tug her off her feet. She landed on her backside, her head whipping around to see what had stopped her run. Michael lay sprawled across the ground, his foot entwined in a vine and a root. She tugged at his leg, trying to free him to no avail. "Jesus an' God, _give us a fucking break_!!!" Wendy growled exhasperatedly as she tore at the plant-matter. Getting nowhere fast, she grabbed a flat rock from near-by and began smashing it against the plant. Finally the vine gave way and snapped, releasing her brother's ankle. She sighed a 'thank you' and helped him to his feet quickly. She turned around, her eyes wide.   


She was standing nose to nose with a Nosferatu.   


It stood there, it's black eyes moving slightly as it looked her over, it's nose twitching as it smelled her. She stood there, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head. Her hand closed tight around Michael's as it moved forward even more, moving it's head down from her face to her chest to her arm, still sniffing. She looked around desperately. The Nosferatu stood on the ground, it's wings tucked and folded at it's sides. She could hear another one, up in a near-by tree, eating. It moved back up to her, letting out a slow, throaty grunt, exhaling a putrid cloud of carrion-breath in her face. Wendy stiffled a cough as the stench of decay and fresh blood assaulted her senses. It cocked it's head to the side, it's eyes looking right into hers. She stared back, scared to the point of paralasys. 

It slowly drew back it's thin lips, revealing rows of sharp, curved teeth. It's tongue lolled out for a second, tasting the air. Her eyes dropped for a second, and her jaw dropped inaudibly. A small dab of blood marked the cloth of her sleeve. Sirus's blood. She looked back at the Nosferatu, which had opened it's razor maw completely. It gave an ear-splitting shreik as it opened it's wings and tensed up to lunge forward. 

Michael moved forward quickly, even quicker than the beast, and let out a mumbled war-cry as he drove his foot into the creature's groin with all the strength he could muster. The Nosferatu's shreik turned into a squeal, and it doubled over. Wendy picked up on Michael's sudden burst of courage, and kneed the beast in the face, hard. It jerked up, a trail of bluish blood flowing from its scrunched up nose. Wendy had apparently hit the right spot. It let out a growling-groan as it shook it's head. She remembered the rock in her hand, and used it wisely. She brought the rock up against it's jaw, sending it's head snapping back, leaving it's neck wide open. She yelled out as she slammed the flat edge of the rock against the beast's throat. It let out a weak gurgle and stumbled away from them, landing on its back. It flapped it's wings pathetically, trying to escape the uncomprehendable situation it had found itself in. It let out a shudder, a wheezing spit of blue blood, and then it died. 

Wendy stood still for a moment, her eyes wide. She looked at the dead Nosferatu, then at her brother. "Good idea, luv. I think we might get outta this one alive," she said quietly, resting her head softly against his. He let out a contented mumble. 

"Maybe not," said Sirus, his voice full of melencholy. Wendy whipped around, surprised to find Sirus standing with his back to her and Michael, his staff bloodied. He had a few cuts on him, but nothing serious. At least, not yet. 

Sirus stood face to face with half a dozen Nosferatu, all looking mad as hell and hungry as all-get-out. Wendy shook her head slowly, full of dread, and turned back to their path. She found the other half dozen. They were surrounded. 

"Oh no..._ oh Jesus Christ_," said Wendy, finding a lump forming in her throat. *_This is it,_* she thought, looking at the hungry nocturnal hunters that seemed to be advancing from all sides. "Oh, Michael, honey.....I'm sorry." 

"We will not go down without our own due of blood," Sirus said, his jaw as tight as his grip around his staff. "That...probably doesn't help much." 

"Wehhh," Michael said slowly, "Weeehhhhh oohhkayyy." 

He wrapped an arm around Sirus and Wendy, and let out a strained grunt. The Nosferatu all shreiked and jumped back in surprise as Michael Stephen Hildered lifted off the ground and took flight.   


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	32. The Basilisk of Fate

->>>-][->>>-   
  


It was an hour later, and Michael was touching down at a small pond, surrounded by a fence made up of bamboo pikes and chainmail armor. The entire trip, neither Sirus nor Wendy had said a word as they watched the tree tops pass by. Michael had touched down occasionally on a tree branch, kicking off from the wood to take flight again. 

Wendy let out a wailing groan as her feet touched solid ground, falling away from Michael's grip to her knees. "Weepin' Jesus on the cross," she coughed, retching, "_what the fuck was that_??" 

Sirus cleared his throat and stretched his back, regaining his sense of balance. Michael stood still, watching both of them. Wendy looked slowly up from the ground where she had coughed up her last meal, and looked Michael deep in the eyes. "Are we _dead_? Did those things kill us? **What the bloody hell was that**...?" she asked feverishly, shaking her head and closing her eyes tight. 

"No, that was real," said Sirus quietly. He walked over to Michael slowly and carefully, taking the boy's jaw in his hand. Michael let out a grunt, but Wendy cleared her throat. 

"_S'oka_-- >ahem! it's okay, luv," she said shakily. Michael nodded absently, and Sirus turned his head gently towards the moon. Wendy gasped as Michael's eyes glowed a pale yellow, like a cat's. "Jesus," she whispered, "what does that mean? How did he--" 

"Fly?" asked Sirus, finishing Wendy's sentance for her. He sighed, shaking his head. "This isn't good," he said wearily. He reached into a small, almost unnoticable, pouch on his belt and pulled out something. He dipped his hand into the pond and shook whatever was in his hand. He drew it out and tossed it into the air. A shimmer of sparkling dust and a burst of fire erupted in the air. Wendy jumped back and let out a string of curses and gasps. "Don't worry. It's a signal. Right now, we wait." 

"For what?" asked Wendy, getting up to her feet. Sirus closed his eyes. 

"For something that I have dreaded for four years," he said quietly.   


->>>-   


"Wendy, wake up," said Sirus, nudging her shoulder lightly. Her eyes slowly fluttered open, her eyebrows raising. 

"_Wha_--?" she said, her voice drowsy. 

"It's time to move. Come on," he replied, nudging her again, "wake up." 

"_Hmmuh...!_ I'm up, gimme a second," she muttered, rubbing her eyes. 

'no time like th' present, bright eyes. get yer arse up 'cause we dinnae have time for fuckin' around' 

"Tinkerbell," groaned Wendy, "what crawled up your miniture ass? What's with the hard time?" 

'ye haven't seen hard time yet, little girl. and yuir dear brother may end up reaping a whirlwind of it for all of us,' said the tiny pixie as she circled Wendy's head. Wendy shoed her away, and got up. Sirus put an arm on her shoulder, moving her towards a knotted tree near the edge of the pond. Tinkerbell flew into a gap in the roots and disappeared, her light flickering and blinking out quickly. Wendy looked around, wondering what was going on. 

Suddenly, the roots under the tree parted, and Tinkerbell's light flickered back into view. She quickly hovered out from under the tree. 

'if ye'd all be so kind as to hurry up, this tree won't stay open for long' 

"You want me to go _into the tree_?" asked Wendy, confused. 

'shite, is she really this daft, Sirus? regular genius, like' 

"Oh shaddap," said Wendy, still cranky from being awoken from a pleasant sleep, "you sound like that heroin-head from Trainspotting." 

'whatever, move,' Tinkerbell huffed, exhasperated. Wendy shook her head and stooped down, scootching into the hole. She looked back, and saw that Sirus was helping Michael in. She continued moving forward, and gasped when the small round tunnel she was in went dark. 'ach, don' go crazy yet,' said Tinkerbell as she floated by, her glow dimly lighting the tunnel. 'just follow me, like, an' ye'll be fine' 

The quartet continued through the narrow tunnel, crawling through the dirt and the rock, towards some unseen exit. Wendy coughed, blinking dust out of her eys. "Where are we?" she asked. 

'th' Treizjhe escape tunnel. dinnae ask cause i won' explain further, mind ye' 

"Yeah, that seems to be the running trait with you people. I don't have a bloody clue what's going on," sighed Wendy, continuing her crawling journey through the tunnel. 

"Stop fussing, the end's near," said Sirus from behind her. She turned around to look at him and bumped her head on the side of the tunnel. 

"_Dammit_! Ow," she groaned, rubbing her head. 

'keep on it now, keep goin'   


->>>-   


"Finally!" gasped Wendy as she spilled out of the end of the tunnel, into fresh air and open space. She stretched on the ground, groaning as her joints popped. She slowly got up, and let out a slow gasp. She stood in a round pit, four feet down from an ancient stone ring that encircled the space she was in. In the South, East, and West corners were the remains of stone statues, cracked boots and eroded hooves and paws jutting up from the rusted iron. At the North end was the only statue that was reasonably intact. It was some kind of legged snake, perhaps a dragon. It had a long, winding body with sharp stone ridges, and thick claws that gripped the iron tightly. It's head was reared back, jagged fangs bared and long, sharp tongue out. "What is this place?" 

"This is the last statue of a land lost," said Sirus whimsically. 

"_Y-y-y-yeah_," replied Wendy slowly. She turned to Tinkerbell, "what is this place?" 

'ye heard 'im. this is the Basilisk of Fate, from before Neverland was born,' said the small, glowing figure. She zipped up to the statue, and pressed on the sharp triangles that stood out on it's eyes, the supposed pupils. A dirt staircase slowly rose out of the ground, rising up to the statue. Michael let out a low hum, his eyes fixed on the statue. 

"Long ago, this island was another place entirely before it was Neverland," said Sirus, setting a hand on Wendy's shoulder. "And the fate it befell may come again if I am right. I pray that I'm not." 

"What are you talking about, Sirus? What is all this? You--" she started, before stopping abruptly. Michael was moving forward, stiffly, slowly making his way up the dirt steps. "Michael? Luv, _what are you_--??" 

"Don't," said Sirus, tightening his grip on Wendy's shoulder. "What is about to happen must happen." 

Michael finally placed his foot on the final step, standing infront of the statue, the Basilisk of Fate. He slowly turned around, his face blank, his eyes empty. 

The statue moved ever so slightly. Wendy let out a gasp. 

The sharp tongue of the stone beast slowly snaked outwards, winding through the air. It slowly pushed forward, and Wendy let out a horrified shreik as it pushed it's way through Michael's chest.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	33. Tales of Neverlands Past

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"**_MICHAEL!!!!!!_**" screamed Wendy, wrestling away from Sirus's grasp. She rushed forward, tears stinging her eyes as she lept onto the first dirt step. It collapsed under her foot, turning into a formless pile of sand. She cursed, and reached out for the second step. It, too, collapsed. "_Michael, oh Jesus, oh fuck, **hold on Michael**_!!!" 

Tinkerbell came out of nowhere and gently but firmly lifted Wendy off the ground by the back of her collar and pulled her back. Wendy thrashed around in the air, her wide horrified eyes fixed on Michael. She let out another cry and her eyes locked with Michael's. 

It was at that moment that she realized he hadn't uttered a single whimper, hadn't even shown the slightest signs of discomfort. She slowly stopped thrashing, and looked at her brother who stood tall on the highest step of the dirt, a stone point protruding from his chest and an erie glow emenating from his eyes. 

"_Michael_??" she asked slowly. He opened his mouth wide, and the most surreal thing that had ever happened in Wendy Hildered's life occurred. 

"Semel itero sese. Cruor genero cruor bellum repeto. Iniuria terra subsentiio manus iussuvir nonvoluntas. Quicumque quorom venio evenio. Atlantis corru hoc bellum non est subsist. Vobis est praecipo," boomed an unearthly voice from Michael's open mouth. He hadn't formed a single word with his lips, yet the deep ancient voice that had come from her brother had pronounced every word with a strange efficiancy. Like the message had been repeated before. 

Suddenly, the stone tongue withdrew from Michael's body as quickly as it had entered, and he collapsed, sliding down the crumbling dirt stairway. Wendy rushed forward and caught him, tears spilling over her eyes. She searched his back, but no trace of penetration could be found. She whipped her head around to Sirus. 

"I am truely sorry, but that was neccessary to--" he began, but Wendy bolted upright and slapped him across the face. 

"_You bastards could have killed my little brother_!! **What the fuck was that**!?!" she hollered, her hands balled into white fists. Tinkerbell flew over and for the first time Wendy could see an emotion in the small pixie's face other than contempt. 

'it's a prophecy. the Basalisk of Fate has made it's prophecy known through your brother,' she said quietly, soothingly. Wendy reached out quickly and closed her hands around Tinkerbell tightly. 

"_Why **my** brother_!?" she shouted at Tinkerbell. The pixie squirmed in Wendy's grasp, trying not to use too much strength to get loose, for fear of hurting Wendy. 

"Your brother was chosen from birth," Sirus said quickly, with a sigh. "The Basalisk would never relay it's prophecy through anyone but him." 

Wendy relaxed her hold on Tinkerbell and slowly sunk to her knees, her arms around the unconcious Michael. "Why?" she asked, tearfully. Sirus kneeled down beside her, and closed his eyes, remembering the lessons he'd learned long ago from Tinkerbell and her people. He began the long tale of Neverland, and it's shrouded past; 

"Long ago, this was known as Island Thira. But war and greed tore it's people apart and earthquakes destroyed their culture. The Thirians were wiped off the map of history forever. All traces were eradicated except the _Ring of Fate_. The Sphinx, the Basalisk, the Moloch, and the Chalkydri. Four statues that decreed the _paths of fate_, forged before man had ever set foot on the island. But when the earthquake's came, all that was left was the Sphinx and the Basilisk. It was another century before this island was populated again. 

"Over several generations, ten twin kings formed the empire of Atlantis on this island. They safeguarded the island from all sorts of forgotten magics, and their island was thought to be a paradise, an impregnable utopia. But when they became greedy, the Sphinx and the Basilisk refused to dictate fate to the people of Atlantis. They furthered their greed by descecrating the Sphinx and selling it to Egyptians. This act showed the Basilisk that they were indeed repeating history. But since the Atlantians had protected themselves, the Basilisk made it's own twist of fate. 

"One night, a great rock came from the heavens and crashed into the seas, destroying the undergrounds of Atlantis and plaguing it with earthquakes and floods. Atlantis sank, leaving another culture eradicated. The meteor that crashed under this island had certain...._properties_, however. Nothing like this earth had seen, ever. There were elements in this rock that defied our laws of physics, of gravity, of time and space. After a decade of lying beneath the Aegean sea, Atlantis rose up from its watery resting place into the sky on a pillar of water, floating on the particles of the meteor that were lighter than oxygen. Gravity, time, even the basic _sense of sight_ itself was perverted by the power of this meteor. 

"The island now rests a thousand feet above the ocean in a helix of fog, invisable to the world and impregnable to outside forces not meant to set foot on the island. Fate, you see, is very selective. It's like a long and winding road. There can be many paths that branch off from the road, but there is always a set destination to be reached. But the people of Atlantis, even after they'd been wiped out, still defied fate. 

"The last surviving things on this island had taken refuge in this piece of land, the Ring of Fate. Here was a spot protected from any damage the floods or earthquakes or meteor had done. It was here that they created the Five Darlings of Atlantis; five _artificial children_ were created through alchemy to go out into the world and return later to rebuild the Atlantian empire. However, the world is a cruel place, and three of them died, turning to ashes upon their deaths. Two survived, and lived their lives oblivious to the mission that was so secret even they didn't know it conciously. One of the homonculus travelled the world, gaining all the knowledge and experiance the world had to offer that he could find. He eventually had an offspring, Peter, who found his way back to this island. That offspring is Pan. _Peter Pan_. 

"The second homonculus also had an offspring, a girl, who married and had a son of her own. The mission followed down through the bloodline, taking a stronger hold of the mind with each generation. That brings us to the second Darling's descendant, the one that has just recently returned. Your brother, _Michael_."   


->>>-   
  
  
  



	34. Fear&Loathing in Neverland

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"W-what?" said Wendy, shakily. She looked at her brother, running a hand through his hair. She looked back to Sirus. "You-- you're _lying_." 

"Michael has returned to the place his ancestor called home, this island. He and Pan were created to reclaim the throne of world power and rebuild the Atlantis empire. As you can see, neither are living up to their ends of the bargin," said Sirus, his eyes still closed. 

"No," Wendy said slowly, "no, this isn't _right_. _You aren't right_..." 

"Your brother is autistic because the mission that he was created for went unfulfilled for so long, it eventually wiped out all other aspirations and actions to ensure that Michael would fill out his role in the Atlantian grand scheme of things." 

"**_NO_**!!" Wendy screamed, grabbing a nearby chunk of stone and hurling it at the Basalisk statue. The rock bounced off it's head, falling harmlessly to the ground. Wendy let out a furious scream, and grabbed Sirus's staff away from him. "_NOO-O-O-O_!!! YOU SON OF A BITCH, GIVE ME BACK MY BROTHER!!!" she hollered, smashing the staff into the statue again and again, tears flowing freely. Sirus made his way over slowly, letting her get her aggression out. He reached forward, closing one hand on his staff. Wendy whipped around and slammed the staff into his side. He let out a choked grunt and fell to the ground. Wendy beat him with the staff, yelling at him, "_why, you bastard, why_!?!?! How could you let my brother **suffer** like this!?! **WHY**!?!" 

Sirus let out groans of pain as the coconut club smashed into his shoulder and ribs, leaving bloody bruises. Tinkerbell flew forward, pulling the staff from Wendy's hands and sending it clattering across the round pit. Wendy spun around and clocked the small pixie, sending her flying into the iron ring that surrounded them. She turned back to Sirus, and began punching and kicking him, screaming at him. He blocked her kicks and punches, taking the abuse. Wendy was sobbing now, her blows getting weaker by the second. She slowly stopped and sank to her knees, her face burried in her hands. Sirus got up, groaning in pain, and wrapped his arms around her. 

"Why did my brother have to _suffer_ for this fucking empire?" she cried, leaning against Sirus. Tinkerbell slowly got up, hovering in the air and rubbing her shoulder. "Why did they have to rob him of his own mind?? All he's ever been is-- never had--" she sobbed, losing her words to the cries she couldn't fight back. "_Why_?" 

"That is fate, and it is a horrible thing," said Sirus soothingly. He rubbed her back, holding her tight. "The Atlantians were greedy and they sought to rule this island even after fate destroyed their culture. If you want to blame someone, blame them. Blame the dust that was once their bones. They're long gone, Wendy. Long dead." 

'if'n it helps any, ye an' yuir brothers weren't supposed to be here. right here, anyway,' said Tinkerbell, no trace of cynisism in her voice. Wendy looked towards her through bloodshot, watery eyes. 

"Do you remember what I told you about fate?" asked Sirus, pulling her head to rest on his shoulder. "It is a long road. Your journey is not limited to this one road, there are many twists of fate, many branching paths that you may follow. The Lost Boy Slightly was to find his way back to Neverland, but the moment your brother John pulled the trigger on him, you three took another path, one that led here. But Michael was never _supposed_ to learn his original reason for being. You have ventured **off** the road of fate, and so steps had to be taken to learn what might become of Neverland." 

"W-what's that?" asked Wendy quietly, regaining control. 

'the Basilisk told us it's prophecy through yuir brother. "_semel itero sese. cruor_--' 

"I heard it. What does it mean? What is it??" asked Wendy, turning to the glowing pixie. 

'it's latin. the Basilisk told us that "history repeats itself. blood begets blood as war begins again. the hurt that the earth feels at the hand of man will not stand. that which has happened shall hapen again. Atlantis shall sink if this war does not stop. you have been warned". not exactly good news, is it?' 

"But what does it mean?" asked Wendy again. She looked back and forth from Tinkerbell to Sirus. 

"We don't know right now. I have been exiled from Jungendstadt, so I don't know what's been happening there. Tinkerbell?" replied Sirus. Tinkerbell flew close to them, stroking her chin with her tiny hand. 

'Pan's getting all stroked up about something, but he'd gone back to his chamber to think about it when i left. he was planning an attack on Infernus City in retaliation against them kidnapping ye an' yuir kin, like. but he wasn't sure that was th' course of action he wanted to take, mind ye,' Tinkerbell muttered. 

"Jesus bloody Christ," Wendy muttered. She turned to Tinkerbell, "what did the statue say about war??" 

'umm, i think-- yeh, it was "_Atlantis shall sink if this war does not_... _stop_...' 

"And what was Pan planning when we got back?" Wendy asked, letting her company piece together what she already knew. 

"Oh my God," muttered Sirus, "he wants a **war**." 

"And this island is gonna sink for it," said Wendy, her voice full of dread.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	35. Girls can Fight too

->>>-][->>>-   
  
  


Wendy and Sirus had been walking through the forest for two hours, both supporting Michael who was still unconcious. Tinkerbell floated behind, keeping an eye out for any predators lurking in the shadows of the night. 

"Sirus," Wendy whispered. He turned his head, his eyes half shut. He looked exhaused, and the beating she'd given him earlier hadn't helped any. "How....long....of....a..." 

"You don't have to whisper. There aren't any carnivors that we couldn't handle easily around these parts," he said wearily. He ran a hand through his hair, letting out a long breath. 

"How long of a walk do we have ahead of us? Asuming Pan's gonna even listen to us?" asked Wendy, equally weary. Sirus gave her a shrug and continued pushing and hacking obstacles from their path. Wendy stared at him as they moved forward, Michael's arm looping over their shoulders. She blinked away something she felt stinging her eye, and turned to their path, silent. 

Sirus slowed down, easing Michael's weight off his shoulder. He helped set Michael down on a fallen tree, then spun his staff once. "I'll go trap some food," he said curtly as he sprang into the dark of the forest soundlessly. Wendy sighed, tired, and sat down beside Michael, putting an arm around his shoulders. 

'ye know, yuir alot be'er off than ye think ye are' said Tinkerbell as she flitted past Wendy's ear. Wendy squinted at the light the small pixie emitted, and closed her eyes in aggrivation. 

"And how exactly do I have it _better off_!?" she growled. Tinkerbell let out a tiny chuckle. She slowly flew towards Michael, landing atop his head. She lifted each leg twice, fluffing tufts of the boy's hair up a little, and sat down. Wendy glared at her. Tinkerbell chuckled again and patted Michael on the head. 

'look, ye'v got a whole islan' paradise to explore now, ye'v got to'al freedom, ye'v got the love of a good one; a long life o' peace 'n' prosperity. truth be told, i envy ye.' 

"Oh, oh yes, I do SO enjoy the fact that we were almost **eaten alive** by those nosmanaties earlier tonight--" Wendy blurted out. Tinkerbell coughed slightly and corrected her. 

'Nosferatu' 

"Whatever! We almost got devoured by wild flying animals! We're stuck out here in the centre of the middle of nowhere!! We're probably never gonna see our family ever again!!! All this shit AND an over sexed flying boy, AND a buftie german pirate, AND more gore than a fucking Romero flick!!! In real life!!! IN LESS THAN A WEEK!!!! How in the _slightest fuck_ do you think we've got it better!?!?" 

Michael stirred, turning away from the loudness beside him. Tinkerbell fluttered up from ontop of his head, kicking off a strand of hair from her leg. She zoomed right up to Wendy's face quickly, her tiny eyes wide and firey, her mouth drawn back accross needle-fangs in a tiny helium-growl. '_of all the--_ ye'v got t' be the loudest, most fog-brained bitch ah think i've e'er met! all the shoutin' in the world will get ye absolutely naught, and still ye keep hollering yuir bloody head off! _weepin' _Jesus _on his cross_...!' 

Wendy closed her eyes again, shaking her head and running her hands through her hair. 

'yeh, keep at that then. deny deny **deny**. an' a shite-lot of good it'll do ye, too. daffy broad' 

Wendy snapped her eyes open and reached through the air quickly, wrapping her hands around the fluttering pixie. She was surprised at the intense cold the small creature's body gave off, but ignored the chilling in her fingers as she squeezed tightly. "I am **sick** of your goddamn tone, you little twit. I have gotten nothing but barbs and snide remarks from you ever since I came to this fucking island, and I am SICK of it! So either you treat me with some bloody dignity or I'll squeeze you 'til yer tiny eyes pop out!!" 

Wendy huffed, out of breath from her outburst, her eyes wide and focused on Tinkerbell, awaiting a reaction. She was shocked to feel a strong force prying her hands open, pushing her fingers away from the pixie. Tinkerbell was straining, but forcing open Wendy's hands with her own small arms, hair-thin veins throbbing across her tiny biceps. 

'le' me go or i'll fly a hole through yuir skull th' size of a g'ddamn kiwi fruit' she grunted. 

Wendy reluctantly relaxed her grip on Tinkerbell, forhead scrunched up in confusion. Tinkerbell's glow faltered as she caught her breath, her pin-prick eyes focused on Wendy in anger. She rubbed her tiny arms, flexing her hands to regain ease. 'so ye wanna know m' problem with ye!? **fine**!' shouted the pixie as, in the blink of an eye, she flew right up to Wendy's face and grabbed her by the nostrils. 

'**YE're free**!!! ah saw what yuir life was like back in that filth-pit of a hole ye lived in! well, ye got yuir ticket out! to yuir better fuckin' life!!! but it was nae good enough for ye, was it!? ye a'ways gotta be in charge. well, _wake the hell up_! Pan is ruler a' this land!! an' is it sooo bloody hard to jus' give 'im a shag and be done with it!?! a single goddamn hour of yuir life an' that's it! then you can spend yuir entire worhtless existence in peace an bloody harmony on an island in the fucking sun!!! what more could ye possibly ask for!?' yelled Tinkerbell as she tugged on Wendy's nose in sheer fury. Wendy opened her mouth to reply, but no words came forth. What more could she ask for? 

Her point made, Tinkerbell let go of Wendy's nostrils and gave her a slap on the nose, 'ye haven't been 'ere _much of a week_ an' already ye've fucked it up.' Tinkerbell started floating down the path that Sirus had cut, distancing herself from Wendy, who sat in silence. Wendy looked up, unsure if she would shout in her defence, or if she even deserved any defence. Tinkerbell shook her small head, 'an' ye've **dragged** poor Michael an' Sirus kickin' an' screamin' down with ye. if yuir lot in life's te be a **miserable screw**, ye've done a good job.'   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	36. A Genuinely Crappy Meal

->>>-][->>>-   
  
  


"_Here_," said Sirus as he dropped a pair of large, very dead rodents in front of Wendy. He tossed the disembodied heads into the bushes, out of sight. Wendy swallowed, trying to keep a calm stomach. 

"What are those?" she asked hesitantly. She slowly poked one of the limp, furry bodies with her toe. It spasmed an let out a gurgled squeeking-growl from its stump-neck. Wendy jumped back, letting out a squeek of her own. 

"Trolls," he said casually, setting his foot down on the headless, squirming rodent as it tried to get up. "Well, troll young. Older ones require more than one to hunt." 

"Jesus," she muttered, "you _killed_ troll cubs... um, larvae.... offspring... what the hell are these again? They don't exactly look like any troll I've ever seen..." 

'have y'ever actually seen a troll, then?' asked Tinkerbell, a light tone in her voice. Wendy glared at her and turned back to Sirus. Then reluctantly shook her head. 

"Trolls have offspring, yes. They can get very nasty and slightly poisonous when they get big enough, but the offspring are still young and healthy enough to eat," said Sirus, a slight tone in his voice suggesting he was trying to impart important knowledge to Wendy. "The tusks are still tricky even without the venom, though, so the heads have to come off." 

"Uhh...... _oookay_," said Wendy quietly. She looked at the small brown creature, it's legs kicking frantically. "Howcome they're still moving without any heads?" 

"Their brains are in their upper backs, farthest from any predators. See these little quills on this one's back? These'll grow into poisonous spines, to protect the upper back even more. These things can be pretty tricky," he replied. 

"So.... okay, first: _ick_. Second: why didn't you just, um, stick it in the back or something?" asked Wendy hesitantly, knowing her stomach wouldn't like the forthcoming answer. Sirus kept his foot on the writhing creature, its furry legs kicking frantically. 

"The poison these things carry in them is only held is through muscle contraction. If I were to kill it, it would relax and let the poison in it's tusks and quills spread through it's bloodstream. And then we'd spend the next two days passing enough raw gas to light up the island," he said with a hint of a smirk. Maybe he was calming down, starting to forgive, hoped Wendy. Her cheer turned to confused horror. 

"If we can't kill them before we eat them, what does that-- " she started, already knowing the answer. Sirus didn't respond, only pulled out another smooth bone shaft and handed it to her, giving her a 'I-hope-you-aren't-squeemish' look. "_Ewww_.... Jesus," she moaned to herself as Sirus knealt down and brought the shaft to his live meal.   


->>>-   


"**Oh bloody Christ**, I _cannot_ believe we just did that," groaned Wendy, gagging and scraping at her tongue with her nails for the fifth time. The disgusting taste of soiled troll-meat was still prominent on her tongue. Their dinner had decided to empty it's bladder and bowels into it's ragged insides while it was in shock. Sirus had realized two bites too late what had happened. 

"_Ugh_, in hindsight we probably should have made the trek to Jungendstadt on empty stomachs," sighed Sirus as he dragged a piece of bark from a near-by tree across his tongue, trying as desperately as Wendy to get rid of the taste of troll crap. "**Bleeaaghh**...." 

'ah hope you two enjoy'd yuir meal' said Tinkerbell with a wry smile as she flittered down from the higher levels of the forest. Wendy gave the small pixie the two fingered salute, and went back to scraping her tongue. 'looks like we go' a clear run from 'ere to Jungen'sta' til th' sun starts te drop. then we'll be up te our arses in nosferatu an' komodos unless we keep te th' denser parts a' the forest, which'll slow us down consid'rably' 

"Thanks, Tink," sighed Sirus, wiping his mouth and spitting out small chips of bark. "Are you ready to get moving?" 

"Yeah, although I'm a little concerned with Michael; _blimey_, he ate the same as us, but he hasn't exactly taken notice, you know? I should clean him up before we get moving," Wendy replied, looking over at her brother. He stared ahead at their path, a blank expression on his face. Wendy rubbed his back soothingly, staring at him with concern. She suddenly jerked up right as she felt a shudder go up his spine. Michael started making hacking noises and jerking his head back and forth. "Oh my God, Michael! _Luv_...?!" she blurted out as she quickly ran behind him and took hold of his midsection. 

'what are ye doin'?' 

"_Highmelick_!" she stuttered out as she gave Michael a squeeze, to no avail. He wrestled away from her grasp and leaned his head towards the surrounding bushes. He hawked back and spat out loudly, startling everyone. A foul-smelling ball of hair, meat and bone bounced once on the dirt ground and then settled into a roll into the bushes. All stood silent, looking at Michael. He slowly and calmly moved back to the fallen tree and sat back down, his previous blank expression returning. "Holy Shit on a stick, that was disgusting," Wendy muttered. Tinkerbell erupted into a fit of tittering laughter. 

"Highmelick?" asked Sirus as he ran a hand over his hair, composing himself. 

"Oh, gimme a break, I got the general idea across, didn't I?" retorted Wendy, somewhat embarassed. She shook her head and patted Michael on the shoulder. "Shouldn't we get heading?" 

"Yes, we should," replied Sirus. The threesom rose to their feet and resumed their march towards Pan's city in the tree's.   


->>>-   


"I'm going to go ahead and cut the path clear of some plants and mushrooms. Wouldn't want Michael to get poison ivy or worse," said Sirus curtly, moving forward with his staff and cutting through the branches, roots, and plant-life. Wendy and Michael walked in silence for a few minutes, following the path Sirus had cleared for them. Finally, Wendy sighed inwardly and worked up the gall she required. 

"Tinkerbell," called Wendy towards the tree-tops, her voice quick and sharp. "**Tinkerbell**!!" 

'oh crickey, what do ye want now?' asked the pixie with an aggrivated tone. Wendy grumbled to herself and cleared her throat. 

"I'm sorry," she said quickly, a little quiet. Tinkerbell stopped in mid flight and cocked her miniscule head to the side, her hair slowly flowing behind her like a banner. "I said, _I'm sorry_. About how I've been treating you. I have kind of been giving you a rough time." 

Tinkerbell folded her arms for a moment, considering Wendy's apology. She nodded her head to herself and smiled at Wendy, revealing those needle-teeth again. 'apology a'cepted' she chirped, then began flying down the path again. 

"Uh... don't you have something to say?" asked Wendy. Tinkerbell looked back, then slapped her head in mock-exhasperation. 

'right! i must no' be thinkin' striaght, like' she replied. She quickly zipped down infront of Michael and lifted his chin slightly with her foot gentley. 'sorry i laughed when ye coughed one up. ye just kind'a reminded me of a cat, like' 

With that, she resumed her flight down the path into the forest. Wendy shook her head, grumbling to herself, and followed. The walk had already been a long one and it seemed Tinkerbell had no intention of making it any easier.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	37. His Strengths & Sorrows

->>>-][->>>-   
  
  


"_Tinkerbell_," called Wendy from the woods. Tinkerbell flew a good ten feet in front and twenty feet above the Hildered siblings, keeping an eye on Sirus through the trees. The pixie sighed as she sank back down to the humans level. 

'**what now**?? are ye expectin' me te gush sorries an' paint yuir nails wi' ground up flower petals or sum'thin?' 

"Flower petals...?" said Wendy to herself, slightly confused. Tinkerbell shook her head and slowly circled around Wendy. 

'i am nae yuir friend, nor will i e'er be. i do not want te braid yuir hair, i'll nae tell ye i think yuir prettier than "our other friends", i am no' your girlfriend' said Tinkerbell slowly, with a cold tone. Wendy shook her head. 

"Trust me, the bitch feeling is mutual here. I just had some things I wanted to know about Sirus," she replied. Tinkerbell shrugged. 

'so ask him yuirself' 

"I would, but he seems kind of....tense about them. I think. I wouldn't want to offend him, I really fancy him," Wendy said, a little quieter than before, wary of Sirus's obviously keen senses. 

'ha! yeh, that'd be a real shame, you offendin' him. y'know, on top of th' whole _banishment_ thing,' Tinkerbell tittered. Wendy frowned. 

"Yeah, that's one thing I was curious about. I've kind of...not treated him so well these days. I've been snapping at him, I was beating on him with his own stick-thing earlier, you saw that. I got him evicted from his own home, but he's still bein' alot more kindly towards me than you'd figure. What's, um....what's with that?" 

Tinkerbell flew in silence for a moment, pondering Wendy's question. 'Sirus was raised back in th' normal world, where ye used t' live. his tribe kept itself _removed_ from th' rest a' western culture, so they stayed true te their roots. and part of their roots was that a one child was raised by all, y'know? it takes one woman te bear a child, and a villiage to raise one, that kinda thing. so he spent his young'n days been exposed to a very passive envir'ament. even his time here in this kinda survivalist culture hasn't softened that. me, ah think he's more'n a man than most a' the Lost Boys, maturity like' 

Wendy nodded slowly, taking the explanation in. She frowned slightly, then turned to look at Tinkerbell as she walked. "What about his brother?" At that, Tinkerbell clearly flinched. 

'tha's a touchier su'ject than most, aye' she said, looking down and running a hand over her right arm, a sad look on her small face. 'he don' have a brother nae more' 

"He said his brother was killed by Hook when they came here, but when we were being held there, we saw a lad that looked just like him. Like, a _twin_ almost. But he was a pirate..." Wendy said, trailing off as she pondered the mystery. 

'when they came here, aye, he had a brother. bu' their kins-blood dinnae stop him from deciding Hook was th' one te glorify. so t' ease that pa'ticular betrayal, Sirus just decided that his brother died that day, killed by '_Billy Jukes_', Hook's Christian name for th' new 'heathen' on th' block. bullshite, if'n ye ask me. tha's one o' the problem's wi' Sirus's upbringin'...e'en after that son'bitch turn'd coat on him, he still couldn't kill him, traitor or nae. sad, sad way to start life in Neverland' 

Wendy was silent for a few minutes, taking in the information. She shook her head, her eyes half closed. Sirus was so honor-bound he wouldn't even kill his traitorous brother. She felt her feelings for him grow strong again, a warm feeling spreading through her at the thought of him. The warmth was stuck down by the realization that she had shattered his life the moment she dragged him into her fight with Pan. If only she'd kept her temper... 

"He's a very strong person, isn't he?" she asked quietly. Tinkerbell nodded. 

'y'know, this ain't sum'thin i should e'en be saying, but ah think tha' Sirus is _stronger_ than Pan even. Pan's got a beast of a responsibility on his back, but he still stands tall te spite it. But Sirus, he's th' backbone behind Pan's resolve, keepin' him from goin' te all-out war wi' Hook. that'd just be a pointless blood bath. 's part of why we gotta get back as soon a' possible. 

'Sirus has been dragged through some pretty _rough_ shite since he came here four years 'go, but he's always kept his steel. he's been shot, stabbed, sliced, poisoned, y'name it and he's toughed it out, like. an' emotional shite too. didje know he had a clear thing fer Princess Tigerlilly a'fore Pan swooped her out from un'er him. an he's still faithful te his lead'r. _tha's real loyalty_. an' you, too. he did'nae even fight hard 'gainst goin' with ye out te the wilds. tha's nae just loyalty, tha's **love**. ah can tell.' 

"Yeah," said Wendy with a smile, thinking of him. "He sounds even better than I thought." 

'ha! he's be'er than ye'll _ever know_. tha' boy'd go te th' ends of Neverland for ye. just look in his eyes an' ye'll know it, deep like. likes i said earlier, ye don' know how good ye'v go' it.' 

Wendy nodded silently, resting her head on Michaels shoulder as they pressed on. She felt somewhat ashamed at how she'd acted towards him over the past few days. 

The sounds of wild birds and various animals rang through the forest as they walked through the cleared path, following Sirus's tracks.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  



	38. Love, Fury, and Blood

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"_Sirus_!" called Wendy from behind. He turned around, spinning his staff casually. It had been stained green by the various plants and fungi that he'd cut down to give them a clear path. As he turned around, he spat out the wood that had somehow accumulated in the crook of his mouth. 

It had been almost 13 hours since they had set out to return to Jungendstadt. He was sore and cranky from working all day, a sheet of sweat hot across his back. He set his staff into the ground and nodded to her, his first encouter with her since he'd run off to work their path. 

"Sirus, I.... _um_, well... _bloody hell_, I wish I knew how to say this..." she stammered, rubbing her arms nervously. He looked down at her, his gaze harsh from under a tired brow. "And you aren't really making this any easier," she said, faintly chuckling, trying to elicit a reaction. 

"I love you," Sirus said, quickly. Wendy's head bolted up, her eyes wide and her mouth quickly shooting into a smile. "That's what you're trying to get out, aren't you? You want to say, _I love you_." 

Wendy blinked, crestfallen. She shook her head, avoiding his gaze and fighting a slight stinging forming in her eyes. "Uh, not-- it's...." she sighed. 

"That would be good to hear," he said, cutting her off. She looked back up, her brow furrowed in confusion. "That would be good," he repeated as he put a hand on her shoulder gentley, "because that would mean I could _say it back_." 

Wendy stood silent for a moment, her eyes wide again. Then, as if moved by one thought, they embraced in a deep, passionate kiss, arms wrapped around each other. Wendy smiled inwardly through the kiss, ignoring the nagging voice in the back of her head screaming at her "air! you need air!!!" 

"Wendy," Sirus said as he broke the kiss, looking deeply into his eyes. She returned his warm gaze, breathing in precious air quietly. "I would be _honored_ if you would be mine, as I would be yours. Forever made **one** by each other. _Will you be mine_?" 

Wendy smiled, stumbling over his words in her head, trying to decipher their meaning. *_Oh my God,_* she thought, *_he's_ proposing _to me, Neverland style_...!* Her smile widened, her heart thumping in her chest. She felt goosebumps all over, the warm feeling she'd had doubling and doubling again, filling her with a wonderous inner glow. 

"Sirus, I d-- " replied Wendy. She was cut off by a ear-splitting screech that cut through the air, sparking bad memories in all four of them. Michael started hyperventilating, being held upright by Tinkerbell's grip on his shoulder. "Oh come on, _no fucking more_..." Wendy groaned, more in disappointment than fear. 

As the sun began to set, more shreiks echoed out into the settling dusk. Nosferatu were out and hunting. But that wasn't what had screeched. Sirus pulled away from Wendy, moving infront of her quickly, pulling his staff from the ground and spinning it into a battle position. 

"What is it?" asked Wendy quietly, backing up to take Michael's arm. 

"We're near Jungendstadt. Tinkerbell, lead them to a safe-point, I'll try and maneuver the Nosferatu into it's path," he said, his voice solid with determination and a hint of fear. 

"_What_?? What is it?" asked Wendy again, this time directing her question at Tinkerbell. She urged her towards a part in the trees. 

'it's a _sphinx_...! that means we've got te get anything tha' can bleed to safe ground now' replied Tinkerbell quickly, a clear pang of fear in her voice. 

"Son of a bitch," Wendy groaned, her own fear standing out in her voice, "why do I get the feeling the kind'a sphinx you're talking about isn't cool or egyptian?" The sound of wood splitting rang through the air as another screech ripped through Wendy's head. She let out a small groan and covered her ears, ducking behind a couple of large trees. Tinkerbell glanced back towards Sirus' position and quickly dipped down beside Wendy. "Oh **shiiit**, it's that bad!?" 

'worse!' Tinkerbell stuttered, 'these things were hunted down te near _extinction_ by th' local tribes for th' sheer carnage they caused!' Wendy gave Tinkerbell a worried, confused look. 'Christ! ye wan' a clue 'bout these things!? put it this way: a sphinx is a bloody _hurricane_ with **teeth**!' Tinkerbell cringed as the sound of wood snapping and nosferatu shreiking filled the air. She landed on Michael's shoulder, urging him down their hill to safety. 

"The excitement never stops around here, does it?" groaned Wendy as another screech, closer now, sent vibrations through the ground. Wendy heard another crack and saw a tree branch sail overhead. She let out a small squeal and peeked over the large root that topped the hill they were on. 

Sirus stood in the clearing, throwing bone shafts and swinging his staff in a blood soaked dance of destruction. Nosferatu circled above the area, letting out the occasional shreik, dipping down to try and pick off Sirus or the unseen menace of the sphinx. Sirus himself was surrounded by the bloodied corpses of several nosferatu and previously hidden babboons. Some still writhed and clutched at the foreign objects protruding from their bodies. Sirus cursed in Navajo and grabbed one of the babboons, which let out a howl and swung at him. He swerved his head, dodging the blow as he spun around and tossed the babboon into the woods. Wendy saw a tree snap in half and fall in Sirus's direction as whatever giant beast lay beyond her sight went after the babboon. The screeches turned to roars of hunger, as trees and vines were torn from the beast's path. Finally, Wendy saw it. 

It was huge, as big as a rhino, if not bigger, with a striking mane of dirty blondish hair, slick with blood. Behind it was a bulky, furred body thick with muscles, with long, hairy legs tapering down to leathery, crimson-stained paws, it's forearms bearing tufts of blondish hair, much like the mane. The mane itself framed a gorilla-like face, contorted with ferocity, deep red eyes gazing outwards at its prey: Sirus, and the animals around him. It let out another bellowing roar, and shouldered a tree over and out of it's way. Sirus swung his staff, catching another nosferatu as it dove for him. The spikes on the end of his staff dug into the air-borne animal's hindquarters, and it veered off into the path of the sphinx. The great beast leapt up, balancing back on it's hind legs, and wrapped it's thick, leathery claws around the nosferatu, dragging it down to the ground. The blood sucker beat at it with it's wings, snapping it's teeth at the sphinx's mane. The sphinx let out a hungry growl and lowered it's big head, crushing the nosferatu's midsection in it's wide jaws. 

"_Jesus Christ_...! It's a **monster**," whispered Wendy as she instinctivly ducked down, cringing at the sight of the gored nosferatu. Sirus stuck his staff in the ground and ducked down low, avoiding the nosferatu's occasional dive towards him. They were more focussed on the sphinx now, trying to bring it down en masse. The swarmed around it, slashing at it with their talons and fangs, beating at it with their wings and kicks. It simply swung it's head towards a few of them, slamming into the smaller beasts. They were sent flying into trees, knocked out of flight. The sphinx stomped over to them and proceeded to dig into one of them with it's jaws, it's back turned on the swarm. As the blood suckers closed in on it from behind, the sphinx reared up and kicked an entire third of the swarm, sending the beasts sprawling on the forest floor, bent in awkward positions. 

Sirus grabbed one of the babboons and tossed it slightly to the left of the sphinx, creating a false path of the dead and dying for it to follow. As he grabbed another one of the monkeys, it sprang up, adrenaline feuling it's sudden newfound strength. Sirus groaned as the babboon smashed him in the face with it's paws, screeching and jumping out of his grasp. Sirus burried his face in his hands, blood trickling through his fingers. The babboon started biting and landing blows on his legs, sending him to his knees. The hairy fiend brought it's arms above it's head, ready to deal a mortal blow to Sirus's neck. Before it knew what had happened, the babboon found itself upside down on it's back against a tree. Wendy stood beside Sirus, a tree branch clutched in her hands. 

"Get yer stinking paws off him, you _damn dirty ape_!" she snapped, laughing inside. Her momentary bravado was quickly dashed as a nosferatu dove down and ripped the babboon open, carrying it's upper half away with it. She suddenly became very aware of her dangerous surroundings. Sirus was getting to his feet, a hand still on his face. 

"**Ugh**..... thanks," he grunted, shaking his head. His nose bled freely, a few scratches around his nose trickling red. "Quick, help me move these. We've got to make a false path for it to follow, or we're _dead_." 

"Got it," Wendy replied, patting him on the shoulder. She moved forward towards one of the downed nosferatu, then paused in mid stride. She turned back to Sirus, and gave him a quick, but passionate, kiss. Sirus looked at her, half smiling and half confused. "One for while we work," she smirked. "_Tinkerbell_!" she called out, "_keep Michael safe_!" 

She turned back to the wounded beasts, pushing them into the bushes and finishing off the suffering ones. Something inside her knew that she was leading innocent animals to slaughter, but she also knew that she would rather be left un-mauled to death. She hated to see the animals in undue pain, though, so she spared a few seconds for each to put them out of their misery, babboon or nosferatu regardless. "_Bloody hell_, this is messy," she groaned as she pulled one of Sirus' bone-shafts out of a nosferatu's chest, after letting it pass on quickly. A small spurt of blood had caught her right under the eye, sending her jerking back. "Sirus, how's it going over there? That thing is tearing through the nosferatu pretty quickly!!" She couldn't hear his reply over the cacophony of shreiks and bellowing roars and gurgling deaths. "_Sirus_!? How far along are ya!?" 

'lass, we go' a **problem**!!!' shouted Tinkerbell over the noise. Wendy turned around and let out an anguished cry at the sight she saw. Sirus lay on the ground in a pool of his own blood, arms wrapped around his stomach. Spurts of crimson slipped over his fore-arms, spreading the pool around him. He was coughing lightly and hyperventilating. A dead nosferatu lay near by, red smeared across it's hindquarters, Sirus's belt buckle hanging off one of it's talons. 

Sirus was bleeding to death in the middle of a monster's masacre.   


  
->>>-   
  
  
  



	39. Birth of an End

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"_SIRUS_!!!!! **_Noooo_**!!!" Wendy screamed, running across the clearing through flying blood and animal corpses. The sphinx was ripping through the swarm of nosferatu now, bringing them down one at a time in it's massive jaws. It had become an absolute frenzy; the sphinx was snapping trees out of its way as it chased down the nearest nosferatu and mauled them to the point of dismemberment, the nosferatu were flying all over the place, feeding off babboon carcasses and small wildlife crushed by the sphinx and the tree, even feeding off of some of the dead nosferatu. The sphinx had unwittingly drawn the attention of an entire nest of nosferatu, and was having no problem shedding it's due of blood. 

Wendy ran through the chaos, ducking under the occasional swooping nosferatu. She grabbed Sirus' staff from off the ground and started beating clear her path, jabbing at anything moving with the spiked end. "_Get out of the_ fucking _way_!!! Goddamit!!" she screamed, a blazing white-hot headache forming behind her eyes. The one she'd come to love in under a week lay dying not twenty feet away from her, and she couldn't get to him. "Sirus, hang on, oh _God_ please **hang on**!!! _Animals get the fuckoutofthewaynow**nowNOW**_!!!!" 

Quickly, with his staff, she found she'd cleared a path quickly. Soon she was at Sirus's side, helping add pressure to the spurting stomach wound, whispering words of re-assurance and love in his ear over the violent din. Michael sat against the tree, dazed, a small cut above his eye bleeding little. Tinkerbell was zipping all over the place, keeping a circle of death around them for anything that strayed too close to Sirus, flying and punching her way through air-borne bodies, spitting out blood and meat every few seconds. 'ye stupid gits, **stay** the **fuck** '**way from 'im**!!' she hollered, her words barely reaching Wendy who was only a few feet away from the tiny engine of destruction. 

"Oh Jesus, hang on, just _hang on_ Sirus, you're gonna be okay," Wendy said through the tears she found she couldn't stop. She squeezed her eyes, trying to think of some way to help her love. She kept her hands over his, keeping pressure on the wound. "Hang on hang on _hang on_, and, **goddammit**, if you see a bright light above you, do not go to the light! Stay the hell away from that fucking light!!! You stay here! **With me**!!" 

Her words were cut off by the sphinx's bellowing. It had taken down more than two thirds of the swarm, but had taken some rather deep cuts in the process. It's mane was now slick with blood, it's eyes lidded and tired. It's breath was more ragged, too. Wendy thanked God silently, witnessing the creature obviously weakened. Her thanks disapated inside when the 'weakened' beast brought one tree-trunk leg up and smashed it into a low flying nosferatu, sending it crashing to the ground in a crumpled, broken heap. More bluish-black lifeblood stained the ground, adding to the puddles and splatter surrounding the huge beast. It shook its head back and forth as it let out another ear-splitting bellow. The shaking noise was turned to a distorted squeal halfway through. Wendy did a double take as she witnessed a two foot long pike drive itself into the sphinx's throat, directly between it's throat and neck-bones. She looked to the source, and smiled. Two Lost Boys stood fast, swords drawn as they flanked Corbin, who was operating the fishing cannon in a slightly unorthodox method. "_Somebody order one_ fucking _dead_ **_son of a bitch_**!?" he called out, nodding towards her with a grim look on his face as he loaded another iron pike into the fishing cannon. He aimed it again, and fired. 

The beast let out another distorted cry as the pike burried itself deep in it's mane, blood spurting out and flowing freely from the wound. It staggered, growling low and wetly, turning towards Corbin. He shook his head and groped for another pike. He found none in the barrel bolted to the side of the cannon. He cursed, and grabbed a sword from one of the Lost Boys, and loaded it into the cannon's barrel. He let out a war cry as he fired it at the now charging, bloodied sphinx...   


->>>-   


Wendy sighed, running a blood stained hand through her hair. She sat on a cold rock in the Lagoon, awaiting a meeting she greatly dreaded. 

The sphinx had been killed and chopped up by seven Lost Boys and hoisted up to Jungendstadt as food, food which would last them for a very long while. Tinkerbell had returned to Pan's side after a night of being 'off doing pixie stuff', her involvement with Sirus and Wendy unknown to him. Sirus had been taken in to Jugendstadt to be treated by Jerod. His stomach wound had been bound roughly, putting Sirus through agony despite the 'shroom anisthetic. His bindings would keep him alive, but he still required help beyond simple treatment. 

Wendy rubbed her arms, unsure of the decision she'd secretly made. She was somewhat glad that Sirus was incapacitated, for she would die of shame if he knew at all what was going through her head. She closed her eyes and breathed in the clean, refreshing smell of the Lagoon. With her eyes closed, she heard his arrival rather than saw it. Heard his boots touch the small pebbles and stones, heard his weight settle against the sand. "You said you had a proposition for me. Be quick, I've got _little patience_ for you at this point in time." 

Wendy turned to Pan, her eyes open, cold and calculated. She cleared her throat, then spoke clearly across the Lagoon to him, "here's the _proposition_: you reinstate Sirus as one of your Lost Boys, and take me and Michael back in. We'll help you fight for Neverland." 

"Go fuck. You're in no position to make any demands. I don't need _your_ help fighting Hook, you two probably couldn't fight your way past a school of fish. As for Sirus, _well_, he chose his fate when he joined you. He'll get bound up, but tomorrow morning you three are _back out there_," he retorted coldly. He shook his head, smirking. "What _exactly_ made you think I'd say anything other than **no**?" 

"I have something you _want_," Wendy replied, equally detatched, "something I think you'll accept quite quickly." 

Pan scoffed, rubbing his thumb across his nose. He leaned his head back, and casually asked, "what??" 

Wendy closed her eyes and slowly exhaled, trying to vent the feelings of disgust that wracked her. She opened her eyes and gave him a deep stare and answered as she undid the top button on her jeans. 

"**Me**."   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	40. PostBetrayal Awkwarness

->>>-][->>>-   
  
  


Wendy sat up, rubbing her bare shoulders with her hands in the cool night air. She looked around the Lagoon, searching for a way to get back up to Jungendstadt. The wooden box of her old room hung high above her, suspended in tree branches. Wendy sighed, betraying her inner despair. _Oh Sirus_, she thought, _please forgive me for what I've done_. 

"_Fuck_ man, what are you, cold?" Pan asked, sitting on a large flat rock by the edge of the water. Wendy was trying her best to avoid looking at him, to avoid reminding herself of her weakness and her shame. The fact that Pan had yet to put any clothes back on yet also held some sway in her decision. Wendy slowly looked over her shoulder at him, a cold hard glint in her eyes. He took this as a yes, and then shrugged, "okay, so howcome then?" 

"Probably because you tossed my clothes up there," she grumbled, glancing up to a few tree branches that were a dozen feet out of reach. Pan chuckled to himself. "How about you get up off your arse an' get my _goddamn clothes_?!" Pan sighed and got up off the rock slowly, stretching his thin but muscular limbs. Wendy grunted in mild disgust at the display infront of her and turned away. Pan took a few steps off the rock and leapt into the air, sailing carefully through the tree branches and grabbing her pants and shirt as he went by. He landed in the sand with a quiet whump, and turned back to Wendy. 

"See that shit? Heheh, **yeah**. So, your clothes...you want these back why?" he asked as he cocked his head to the side, smiling letcherously at her nude body. Wendy tried to cover herself up with her arms, but wasn't succeeding very well. She shot him a glare and snatched her clothes from his grip quickly, leaving herself intentionally exposed for only a breif fraction of a second. 

"Because I'm cold and I'm pissed and I refuse to stand here a moment longer while you stare like a bloody pervert. Now turn around," Wendy snapped as she backed up, making space to put her clothes back on. _My first time may not have been the most elegant moment, but thank Jesus on a pogo stick that THIS creep wasn't my first. Ahh, youth and stupidity_, she thought. He shook his head, chuckling, and turned his back to Wendy. 

"Oh, please. We just fucked like bunnies, I think you're past the awkward-naked phase, lovey. Shit, I didn't see you objecting when I was taking them off..." he replied with a cocky smile. Wendy reached out and kicked him in the calf, hard. He let out an amused grunt. 

"Ugh," Wendy growled, "would you please go back up and get my bra? **Now**?" Pan turned around and looked at her angry form. She had put on her pants, which were rumpled and dirty from the last few days ordeals. She held her tattered shirt up against her naked chest, keeping herself hidden from his view. She opened her eyes wide and urged him on silently. He muttered and jumped up again, yanking a simple white bra from a thin branch, breaking a small torrent of twigs off of the tree. She swiped the garment from his grasp as he landed, turning her back to him this time and putting on the bra. 

"Y'know, I'd appreciate a little gratitude here. Goddamn pointy branch nearly took my _cock_ off up there," Pan quipped, smiling at Wendy. She looked at him exasperatedly. 

"Would you stop swearing!? God!" Wendy snapped. She pulled her shirt down over her head and onto her thin frame. "You are such a git," she muttered, kneeling down beside the flat rock and pooling water in her hands. She splashed it lightly against her face, washing away the sand and grime from their previous tumblings. Pan chuckled silently, then moved forward and placed a hand on her shoulder, rubbing. 

"I'm sure I can make up for that...._somehow_," he said, a low enticed tone in his voice. Wendy shrugged his hand off, then squinted and leaned forward. She stared intently at her reflection on the water, lit up by the light of the moon. 

"Hey," she said, focusing on a something she saw in the water. "Pass me your sword or your knife or something," she said, distractedly. Pan raised an eyebrow and drew a small but razor-sharp dagger from a hidden sheath in his boot, which lay on the rock. He flipped it once, catching the blade, and handed it to Wendy. "Thanks," she said as she drew in a breath. 

Wendy spun around and shoved Pan, sending him tripping onto the rock. She knelt over him quickly, bringing her knee up tightly against his crotch and laying the blade across his throat, digging it in against the skin lightly. 

"_That was it_. Got it!? That was what you've been so bloody crazy over. You wanted it, and you **got** it. And that's **all** you'll get. Understand? Me and Michael and Sirus are back in, but I don't owe you _anything_ anymore. You try to back out on that deal, and I'll kill you here myself, because my brother and Sirus will be as good as dead anyway if you do. You every try to force yourself on me like in your chamber, and I'll cut your johnston off and feed it to you. I don't owe you ANYTHING." 

Pan exhaled and looked deep into Wendy's eyes, a mix of emotions playing across his handsom face; anger, shock, betrayal, surprise, even a hint of sadness. He closed his eyes, debating in his mind what to do. Wendy jarred him back to reality by pressing a little harder with her knee. He let out a pained grunt, then locked eyes with her again. 

"Fine," he said curtly. Wendy stared back at him, reading his intentions. She nodded, and got up off him. She turned the dagger around and pointed the handle back at him. He propped himself up on his elbow, exhaling slowly and calming himself down. "Keep it," he said wearily, "you may be a fucking _pain in the ass_, but even you deserve protection." 

With that, Wendy nodded and tucked the knife into her pants. Pan got up off the rock and began to dress himself, keeping a wary eye on Wendy. "Y' know, I gotta say, I'm impressed," he said casually. Wendy turned around, a serious look on her face. 

"You say one thing about that _mess_ that's happened down here and I'll slap your face to the other side of your skull," she grumbled. He chuckled at her, and waved a hand. 

"No," he replied, "this is the second time you've surprised me like that. Very good. Waiting until I've let my guard down then striking. Smart." Wendy turned to him and eyed him suspiciously, looking for sarcasm. She found none. 

"Yeah," she muttered, walking towards the bluff that led up to her room. "You gonna take me back?" 

Pan nodded once, and moved forward, wrapping a bare arm around her waist and jumping up, floating upward quickly towards her window. She reflexively squirmed away from his grasp, but he chalked it up to fear of heights. He set her down inside the wooden plank room, kneeling gracefully on the window-sill. "Get some sleep. We'll talk tomorrow about our little spat," he said. Wendy turned away and shrugged, staring at her bed. Pan nodded a good-night to her and pushed off from the sill, flying off into the night. Wendy turned back and watched him fly away, a sick look on her face. She looked down at herself, shaking her head. 

_Please forgive me for what I've done_, she thought again.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	41. In the Morning Break

->>>-][->>>-   
  
  


"Good morning," Pan said, perched in the crook of a tree branch. He held a half eaten fruit in his hand, perhaps a peach. Wendy eyed him suspiciously as she slowly descended down the wooden planks and bridges, making her way onto one of the levels of Jungendstadt. Pan returned her gaze, with a decidedly less intensity. "What's got you so bugged, then?" 

Wendy was silent for a moment, viewing Pan without his usual air of imposing sexuality and hostility was a definate change. "_Nothing_," she replied quickly, focusing her eyes on the path in front of her. "Where's Sirus?" 

"We got him pitched up in Nor' Spiral. It's a large spiral-trunk on the far North side of Jungendstadt. You probably can't miss it if you walk long enough. You definately won't if you want to hitch a ride on me," he replied. Wendy quickly shook her head, hugging her shoulders and looking around as she began her trek. Pan shrugged, watching her leave over the edge of his fruit as he bit into it again. Lost Boys were everywhere, waking up and grabbing meals of left-over sphinx from the previous night's escapades. A few eyed her carefully, a few waved, but most payed her no attention as she walked by. 

Wendy strained to walk quickly without being noticable, a thin layer of sweat slowly forming across her brow. She swallowed, and diverted from her journey breifly. She looked out to a small platform where Michael and a Lost Boy sat playing what looked like .... Pogs. "Jesus, this place **is** stuck in the past," she muttered to herself. Michael dozily looked over to her, smiling distractedly. Wendy smiled back and waved. Michael let out a single laugh and turned back to the game with his new Lost Boy friend, tossing his Pog clear off the table. Wendy shook her head and continued walking. 

"G'mornin' there!" said a voice from above. Wendy looked up to see Corbin repelling down a vine on a crank-operated harness. Wendy furrowed her brow and smiled up at him as he awkwardly made his way down, jerking and jolting every few feet down. Finally, he made it to floor-level, his boots letting out a light thunk as they met the wood. He smiled at her and nodded a good-morning, fiddling with the wooden toggles and stone buckles on the harness. "Uh," he said quietly, fumbling aroudn, "give me a second." 

Wendy stood silently, watching with amusement as he muttered curses to himself and struggled to wrestle the harness off of himself. "So, oh wayward girl," he began, trying to sound friendly but coming off haltingly, "how-- >**ugh**! how are you.... >_unh_!! ....goddammit..... how are you this morning?" 

Wendy stiffled a laugh and smiled at him, "I'm okay. How about you, Corbin?" 

"I'm-- _son of a bitch, **get off**_!! ....I'm good," he replied, grunting as he tugged at the straps. He let out a squeek as his wrist caught the crank and he was hoisted off the wooden planks by the harness, surpising him. He let out an exasperated sigh and turned his head to her, "you sure? You don't look okay. Not enough sleep?" 

He was right. Wendy wasn't alright. She felt sick to her stomach with herself, and she had barely put together more than a single uninterupted hour of sleep. She was tired and weary and unhappy, and she wanted the whole Neverland ordeal to end. But she also knew deep down that she had to follow her gut, to see the whole dramatic-mess to the end. "No," she replied, feigning cheer, "not enough sleep. But hey, I'm up now, so I thought I'd go and check up on Sirus." 

"Good idea, he could use your company," Corbin replied, frowning down at his harness as he slowly and awkwardly cranked himself back up the vine, attempting to dislodge the plant-matter from the cogs and mechanics of it. Wendy waved goodbye and resumed her walk, weaving and ducking around Lost Boys who were walking, jumping, swinging, or otherwise transporting themselves from one part of Jungendstadt to another. 

Wendy smiled and waved to the few Lost Boys who tossed notice her way, giving her a range of expressions from warm smiles to suspicious squints. Wendy simply returned a weary-but-friendly smile and continued walking. She cocked her head to the side when she heard a loud thunk and a hoarse curse from far behind her, then shook her head and giggled when she realized Corbin must have found a way to dislodge his obstructions. Still, that momentary distraction held her sorrow at bay only for a moment before she had to put up her facade again, masking her guilt.   


->>>-   


Wendy had finally found it after an hour of wandering the various levels of Jungendstadt. The city in the trees had stretched on for far longer than it had first appeared, a giant optical illusion. But finally the immensely tall, dark tree that was Nor' Spiral rounded the corner and the horizon; it's trunk twisted and wrinkled into a gigantic spire of wood. She paused outside the carved arch of the doorway, sighing quietly. It was now or never. Go in and admit everything in hopes of saving whatever emotional shards were still intact, or accept her actions and ignore the feelings inside. There really wasn't a question, actually. 

She let out one final exhalation and moved forward, knocking on the door-frame as she entered. "Sirus? Luv, you here?" she called into the darkness of the room. She let out a slight gasp as a light flared in the darkness and lit a lamp beside a bed on the floor. Sirus sat there, his stomach bandaged and plated with wood as a sort of savage cast. He was staring at her in the darkness, a plain look on his face. "Sirus?" Wendy asked quietly, unsure of his demenor, "are you okay? They told me about how bad it was. Are you in pain?" 

"They gave me some opiates to help," Sirus said calmly. "Tinkerbell also siphoned out some of the septis that was sinking in, and donated a few scales to help the healing process." 

"Scales?" asked Wendy, moving forward slowly in the dark towards his bedside. He nodded slowly, euphorically. 

"You can't see it due mostly to the glow, but pixies have scales along their backs near their wings that help control air-flow, like...feathers. They seem to stimulate white blood-cells and healing properties in the human body," he replied slowly, his eyes half closed. Wendy raised her eyebrows, looking him over. His torso was bare of it's usual garb, covered only by the bandages and wood. His lower half was covered by a blanket of cloths and furs sewn together, but judging by the form it hugged she guessed he wasn't wearing much under it. She looked up into his eyes as she prepared to tell him the truth of his acceptance back into Jungendstadt, hoping to find the love he'd shown earlier. 

Her face went blank as she looked deep into his eyes. She was stunned, dumbfounded, shocked. 

"You know," she whispered in horror, "_you know_...!"   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  
  
  



	42. the Face of Hardship

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"_You know_...!" Wendy repeated, shocked. Sirus nodded sadly, no major expression playing across his face. She eyed him suspiciously. "**_You_**...!" she repeated yet again, staring with more intensity, "_you_... are really are coked out of your tree, aren't ya?" 

"Oh _ho-ho_, yes," Sirus sighed, shaking his head erratically, letting it drop until his chin rested on his chest. He exhaled slowly, trying to compose himself in his addled state. He looked up from his chest to her, "I can smell him on you still." Wendy sighed as well, shaking her head. She sat down lazily beside him, leaning against his shoulder. She set her hand down on his, closing her eyes and listening to him breathe. 

"Sirus, I know you're probably not going to remember this, but I want to explain now while I still have the thoughts clear and unmuddied in my head," she said quietly, squeezing his hand. He sat silently, awaiting explanation. 

"What I did...was unforgivable, I understand. I subverted my principals, I supposedly turned my back on you, and I went to Pan. _Ugh_. I feel sick with myself. I feel like a bloody corner-whore. But what I did, how I degraded myself to that perv, was for you. It was all for you, all for _our **love**_. You were going to die if I didn't give him a reason to let us stay, and-- " 

"I know why you did it," said Sirus, interupting. He cleared his throat, straining to see straight. "I know what you did, I know why, and I **do** forgive you. But I also...don't trust you now. I can't...I can't help it, but I don't have to either. You have to **earn** back that trust. And until you do, I won't be yours completely." 

Wendy was quiet for a second, feeling something sting at the corner of her eye. She turned away, getting up off his shoulder. "That's....fair," she said quietly, her voice cracking slightly. 

Awkward silence hung heavy in the air. Wendy shifted uncomfortably, not sure what to do. She got up quickly, clearing her throat and wiping her eyes, hoping not to be noticed in his etheric-state. 

"Don't be sad," he said dozily, swaying around on his bed. Wendy hunched her shoudlers, embarassed. She waved her hand at him, dismissing his comment and smiling at him. He smiled back, his eyes still cloudy. "I say this bluntly only because I am....._inebraited_. As harsh as you find my words, you know what I feel. You only need to gain my trust. You've not lost my heart." 

Wendy smiled warmly at him, a quivering teardrop rolling down her cheek as she leaned forward and kissed Sirus on the forehead. "Luv, as romantic as that is, I really hate Shakespear talk," she chuckled, relieved, even a bit shakey. She leaned forward and gave him another kiss, a passionate one on the lips. "Get some sleep, sick boy. I'll check on you in a bit."   


->>>-   


"Oh my God, I have the best man _ever_," Wendy sighed to herself, arms wrapped around her shoulders. Warmth filled her entire body. She closed her eyes and leaned against the shut door, hearing Sirus' sleeping breath through the door. Wendy smiled to herself. 

"You've made peace," said Pan as he slowly fell down from between gnarled branches and wooden planks towards the entrance of Nor' Spiral."That's good," he said with an actually friendly smile. 

"_Yeah_," Wendy muttered. She turned away from his gaze, mentally wishing she could make his head explode and wear the pieces as ear rings. 

"Look, I know we had a nasty few days... I just want you to know I hold no grudges and I hope we can put this behind us," he said calmly as he landed gracefully, nodding his head in greetings. 

"You're not shagging me again," Wendy replied bluntly. Pan winced and bopped his head back. He turned back and shrugged, half smiling. He looked down at the floor, something perched precariously on the edge of his tongue. "Well crikey an' shite, Peter Pan is at a **loss for words**!" Wendy chuckled. Pan shot her a dark look, and Wendy stiffled her laughter. "Sorry." 

"Okay, I'm not going to force you or threaten you, but there is still the issue of.... well, you know," Pan said quietly, trying to maintain his dignity while tip-toing around another testicle-wrenching. 

"Your war on Hook?" Wendy asked deadpan. Pan nodded, his face grim. 

"Well," Wendy started, before she caught a breif glimps of motion in the corner of her eye. A faint sparkling streak. "Tinkerbell, don't _evesdrop_!" 

'ah, pish on ye then,' the diminutive manipulator chuckled. Pan cocked his head to the side and back quickly, motioning for her to either take a hike or keep her mouth shut. Tinkerbell settled down on a small twig protruding from a tree. 

"Me, Michael, and Sirus spent a nigh out in Neverland. We saw some real horrible shit out there, but it's still a home for animals, it's still nature, just not a one I've seen before. Animals like I've _never_ seen, probably all wiped out by civilization," Wendy sighed. She ran a hand through her hair, exhaling slowly, "so if war's the only thing that'll keep these things off the endangered species list and keep the blokes who call this island home, if war's what it'll take to keep 'em from being slaughtered, here's what I'm going to do... I'm going to agree to help you." 

'_what_!?' Tinkerbell shreiked in her tiny voice. 

"What...?" echoed Pan. Wendy nodded solemnly, throwing a breif glance towards Tinkerbell. 

"Those sons of bitches shot Sirus, they captured me and my brothers, Hook even cut Michael, and he had **no** qualms about hurting women or children when he was kicking my arse. And I'm not going to let them shed any innocent blood," Wendy said sternly. "I don't have to like it, but I do have to help if there's a chance that someone as unlucky as Michael could get hurt." 

Pan was silent for a second, contemplating her words. "That's very honorable. But just remember, in the heat of the clash, principles take a back-seat. You'll learn very quick that it's kill or be killed, got it?" Wendy nodded, looking around at her surroundings. She'd just noticed all the Lost Boys had cleared enough space to give Pan privacy. 

"I won't choke," she replied quietly. Pan gave her a rueful smile. 

"You may have to, if you lose your weapon," he said, winking. Wendy was disgusted, but she kept up a diplomatic face. She nodded, and cracked her knuckles, smiling back. 

"I can handle myself," she said cockily. Pan snickered to himself. 

"We're meeting at sunfall at Corbin's music rig," he said with a quick breath in, discarding his casual stance, "be there?" Wendy nodded once. "_Good_," he said, running a thumb over the side of his nose. He nodded back and pushed off the deck, coasting upwards through the air. 

"**Hey**!" Wendy called after him. His arm snaked out and grabbed a branch, spinning him around to face her. "Is John going to be there? I should probably have a chat with that cannibus-worm." 

"John _left_. He tried to convince me to seek you three out and let you back. When I denied, he left to search for you. We haven't heard from him since, but I'm sure he's fine," Pan replied, getting ready to take off again. 

"**_What_**!?!" Wendy shreiked, startling Pan, "you let that idiot out into the _wild_!?! He barely survives in London without packing, let alone this jungle!! Unless we find him right outside Jungendstadt trying to get high off smoking nosferatu shite, he's most likely hurt or dead or God knows what!!" 

"Hey, hey, hey!! Settle down! I'm sending Corbin and a few other Lost Boys out to contact some allies of mine today before the big meeting. You can go with 'em and look for your brother," Pan sighed as he shook his head. Wendy nodded, aggrivation clear on her face. Pan shrugged, and kicked off from the branch, sailing through the air and out of view. 

"I don't believe it," Wendy whispered to herself. Tinkerbell flittered off from her twig and zipped over to Wendy, hovering beside her ear. 

'aye'n, i know! what th' **hell** 'er ye _thinking_!?' the diminuitive pixie hissed. 

"He was telling the truth when he said he was going to stay back," Wendy said to herself, still whispering. Tinkerbell reached over and gave her ear a tug. Wendy let out a squeek, and turned around, glaring at the little mischievious nudist. 

'oh, yeah, real important considering ye JUST TOL' PAN YUIR GOING TE HELP HIM GO T' WAR!!! don' ye remember th' prophecy!? war means Neverland **_sinks_**!' Tinkerbell snapped, tugging on Wendy's ear again. 

"Bloody hell, get off my ear, you daffy broad! _Listen_ to me!" Wendy retorted, "_I've got a plan_...."   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  
  



	43. Going Separate Ways

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"_A'right then_, here's the move...." Corbin started, his group standing in a circle around him, Wendy included. "Pan wants support from a other tribes as well as the help of a few other specific individuals. Tink' will guide us, as she can navigate above the trees. Now, seeing as how we'll be getting back 'round sun's fall, we're going to have to bring some meat to throw off the indiginous. Any _volunteers_?" 

Wendy stared blankly at him, oblivious to the actual purpose of their soon-to-be-embarked-upon journey. Two Lost Boys hesitantly raised their hands, and Corbin nodded. "Great. Mess is over there, fellas. **Now**! Let's lay down our to-do list. First stop is the **Oni Kao** tribe, then over to the **Panzerfausters** and the **Tiger Tribe**. For you guys anyway; Me and Zander are off to see if we can convince _Spider_ to join up." 

With the mention of this Spider charater, all the Lost Boys tensed up. Wendy looked around, unsure of what had them all wound so tight. Deciding to put a little rattle into their bravado, Wendy stepped forward. "I'll go with you." 

"**HA**!!!" burst the Lost Boy in tan and brown, standing beside Corbin. Zander. "You been smoking more of your brother's brain-fucker leaves?" 

"_Hey_," said Corbin, cutting in with a wry smile, "if she wants to come, she can come." He looked over at Wendy and nodded, bearing a saccharine smile. 

"Yeah," she re-itteraed hesitantly, "you heard the man." 

All the Lost Boys erupted into laughter. Wendy looked back and forth incrediously, unsure if she should join in or let her ignorance show. She opened her mouth to ask what was so funny, but was cut off. 

"Alright!! Put the grind to the ground, Boys, we got 'til before dark!" Corbin shouted. The Boys all pumped their fists once in the air and were on their way, scurrying over the edges and railings of Jungendstadt, disappearing into the thick of the green. Tinkerbell did a triple spiral and zipped over the edge of a railing to follow, ready to aide. "_Okay_, let's get a move on out," Corbin said, walking between Zander and Wendy, "come get'cha wolves."   


->>>-   


"Hey, boy, how you doing? Yeah? _How you doing_??" asked Wendy in a hushed tone as she rubbed her hands through the large wolf's fur, scratching it's hide and smiling into it's large round eyes. "You're just a _cutie_, **yes** oh **yes**." Zander and Corbin stood at the entrance of the Wolf Stable, their hands wrapped around reigns for their own wolves.   
  
"Does she do this to all the wolves?" asked Zander in a hushed tone. Corbin shrugged, adjusting a gyroscope ladden saddle ontop of his wolf. He looked back to his task, shifting his hips on the saddle, trying to reach comfort. 

"This is _Sirus's_ choice for me, so I'm gonna like it and you're gonna listen!" Wendy called back. _It's about damn time I show these Lost Boys that all is not made for man_, thought Wendy. _I've been listening to Sirus talk too much. Hmm, I think when we get back I should spend some time with him...not talking._

"Are you going to come or not?" called Zander, tugging on the reigns as he mounted the giant wolf. Corbin shook his head, settling into his comfortable, suped-up saddle. 

"Dude, don't rile her up," he chuckled, spinning his Ying Yang on it's axis with his pointer finger casually, "it's a bed of snakes, man." 

"Hurry your ass up, woman! _C'mon_!!" Zander called, laughing. Wendy spun around, her eyes hooded like a viper's. Zander gulped as Wendy climbed up ontop of the wolf, scratching behind it's pink ear, and tugged on it's fur, spurring it towards a certain chauvanistic annoyance.   


->>>-   


"_My face hurts_," Zander groaned, rubbing a large bruise that had turned his thin cheek into a puffy squint. Corbin shook his head. He glanced at his companion, chuckling inside. He reached across the distance between them and clapped him on the shoulder. 

"I told ya. _Didn't I tell ya_?" he chuckled, leaning back in his altered saddle. He had added gyroscopes and springs and counter weights, ensuring he was never anywhere but upright on his wolf. "You **had** **it coming** the moment you asked if she'd be your gunk-sponge." 

"It was a legitimate question!" groaned the perverted Lost Boy. He cringed as he heard a voice from behind him. 

"You want your other cheek to match that bruised one, wanker?" called Wendy from behind the two, riding her wolf and stroking it's neck affectionately. "Then shut'cher gob." 

"A bit _uppity_, isn't she?" whispered Zander. He let out a sharp groan as a chunk of bark from a nearby tree smacked into the back of his head. Wendy had sent her warning shot. "Okay! **Okay**!!" 

"Will you two _quit it_!?" Corbin snapped, suddenly tense. Zander rubbed his head and turned to his partner. Corbin put a finger up to his lips, motioning for silence, then pointed up to a high set of crossing tree branches. A skinned babboon was strung up across the branches, a smooth white pole protruding from it's withered chest. The scene was almost surreal. 

Wendy stopped her wolf and covered her mouth, trying not to make noise or give in to the vomitous feeling in her stomach. Corbin turned back to his group. "Okay," he whispered, "Zan', stay here, guard the wolves. If Wendy here doesn't come back to check in with you by two fingers of the fist, then take the wolves and do some speedy stompin' back to Jungendstadt." 

"What's up??" asked Wendy, in a similar quiet tone, looking back and forth for anything that might be causing the Lost Boy's paranoia. "And what the _bloody hell_ is that thing up in the trees?" 

"It's a warning. Marked territory. We're on _Spider_'s land now. He's.....well, eccentric isn't exactly the word. He's very **dangerous**, but Pan wants him for this, so we go in. Just remember though, don't get too close to him no matter what he may seem like. No matter what. Understand?" replied Corbin quietly. 

"Or what?" asked Wendy, a hint of fear creeping into her voice. She looked back up at the stark white pole that stuck out from the crimson mess of the skinned babboon. Just looking at the intense contrast was giving her a headache. 

"Or what? We become the next territory marking, that's what," sighed Corbin, flicking a switch on his gauntlet. The Ying Yang unlocked and sprang open into it's shuriken configuration, ready to fly at a moments notice. Wendy's eyes went wide, darting from the carnage hung up in the trees to Corbin's weapon and back again. 

"Then why the shit are we bringing me to see this crazy git!?" she squeeked, fighting to keep her voice low. Zander shook his head, giving her an I Told You So look. 

"Well," Corbin replied, hesitantly, "he **does** live alone out here...you could be good leverage." Wendy's eyes went even wider, threatening to bug out of her head. She reached across the space between them and grabbed his shirt, her other hand balled into a fist. 

"I am **not** a _fuck-toy_!!" she growled. Corbin's hands went up, trying to ease her back and keep her quiet. 

"Of course not, but he doesn't need to know that. Don't worry, nothing will happen to you," he whispered quickly, looking back at a small clearing in the trees and bushes, squinting. "Unless he decides to turn us down and string us up," he finished, quicker and quieter than before. Wendy shook her head and followed behind the Lost Boy as he began his trek into the deep forest green of the hidden entrance into Spider Territory.   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  



	44. Banter first, Beaten next

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"So, tell me this," Wendy asked quietly as she followed Corbin through the leafy green, "why was everyone flipping out when you suggested I come along? This Spider fellow a psycho killer or a crazy old naked guy or a cross-dresser with a chainsaw and an army of cats?" 

Corbin pushed vines and wide leaves out of his way, his stare focussed into the depths of the jungle, trying to detect any movement. "You Englanders are a strange and jiggly breed," he whispered carefully. Wendy stared at the stealthy figure before her, confused, then looked around. Something directly below her head caught her eye; apparently all the strain and struggle during her stay at Neverland had somewhat frayed the fibers of her bra. She gasped and smacked Corbin in the arm with the back of her hand, frowning as he chuckled quietly. Wendy shook her head and thought again about this mysterious "Spider". 

"Probably just a wanker who's as nuts as Pan," Wendy said out loud, hoping to get a gauge on how Corbin felt about Pan in a private environment. Her companion twitched his head, looking over his shoulder at her. He chuckled to himself, and pressed a small toggle on his gauntlet. The ying-yang shuriken clicked and popped out, still attatched to the gauntlet but spinning on it's axis-bar. He quickly drew it across a tangled mess of vines, watching as they crumpled away from them, opening a path. "Bugger me, he's **crazier**?! You're taking me to a frickin' Hannibal Lecter or something!?" Wendy blurted out, not set at ease by Corbin's response. 

"Hey!! Sonuva...!" he snapped as he spun around and covered her mouth. "Look, he's brain-swoggled enough to be dangerous to either Hook OR Pan, and keen enough to still be a fierce hunter, so shush...your...tongue." He looked around, his eyes darting across the green, "which is why we're getting him first. Pan wouldn't have sent me if there was more a chance of me getting killed than not." Wendy shifted uncomfortably under his hand, then nodded. Corbin removed his hand, turning back to the dense mess of trees and vines. "Might have sent you, but definately not me." Wendy stared at the back of his head deadpan, her right eye twitching ever so slightly, but ever so threateningly. Corbin seemed to pick up on a vibe emenating from his companion as he turned around, seeing Wendy's reaction confirm his guess. His hands flew to his crotch, covering it reflexively. He smiled, trying to ease her mood, "that's good news, though! Cause I'm here!" 

Wendy shook her head, her eyes rolling, "whatever." Corbin shook his head and flicked some green whisps from his shuriken, chuckling quietly to himself. He'd just escaped the fate of his lord Pan's cajones, and he was definately relieved. Wendy looked around, trying to stare into the leafy depths of the jungle. She shook her head, suddenly very uncomfortable in her own skin. Green. Everywhere she looked was green, green leaves and green vines and green moss and more green. Hot...damp...green. It was enough to send her into an ants-in-the-pants alert. "Gor blimey, we must be a world and a half away from Jungendstadt. Why does this bloke live all the way out here, an' not with you Lost Boys, away from anything flipping green?" 

"W'um... heh, you ask the hard ones. Well, hard enough to answer without getting you all monkey-jumpy," Corbin replied, still quiet but not as anxious. He was growing more comfortable around a female that wasn't a sex object. Or intended to be, anyway. "He, ah, doesn't like company. Never bothered to ask, really, since we Lost Boys would rather not have a 'flipping' sociopath in our midst. A handable licker, like you said." Wendy shook her head, a strand of her hair falling over her left eye. She blew at it, and noticed several black dots, previously unnoticed, fly out of her line of vision. Bugs were gathering large and small, so small they'd snuck close enough to her to do whatever they intended to do, be it bite or inspect or microscopically shit upon. Wendy grimaced at the thought, and brushed her arms. Corbin looked over his shoulder at her, and noticed the various bugs resting on his own person. He shrugged oddly, a shuddering wave through the muscles along his neck and collarbone area, and the bugs residing on him flew off, followed soon by all the others on him. Wendy shook her head, still marvelled by the little tricks these Lost Boys had picked up here in Neverland. Her thoughts were broken by Corbin, who continued his train of conversation, "besides, you gotta think about egos here, as well, egos and quirks. Him and Pan would drive each other absolutely bat-shit! An in case you didn't notice while you were being tossed out on your ass, Pan can get very cranky when he's annoyed, let alone pissed right off." 

Wendy chuckled, not at that event but rather one element. Giving Pan one right in the bollocks. After the travesty in the cool blue lagoon, which Wendy wouldn't mind visiting right now, she would be greatly relieved to give him another sturdy blow to the nether-regions again. But those thoughts were for another time, she and Corbin had a "handable licker" to hunt. She giggled to herself. "They'd drive each other craziER, you mean," she said with a smile, drawing an unclear look from her companion. "If you call hopping around like a constipated kangaroo and trying to drop down and bump uglies with anything female he sees NOT some form of eccentricity, then he's got you bent over grabbin your socks for doggy dancing, mate," she laughed. Corbin shrugged, not clear on what the hell she was talking about. He closed his eyes, reminding himself of his job, and put a finger to his lips. Wendy took the hint, shushing, and they continued clearing a path through the dense plantlife. He glanced upward quickly as the sound of leaves rustling timidly floated through the air, but resumed his mission as a colorful Sen'ghen bird flew off, shaking it's glittering tailfeathers. Wendy's eyes followed it as it flapped it's wings to the sky, it's tail reflecting a rainbow of light from the sun. "Beautiful," she whispered to herself. 

"Taste good, too," Corbin quipped, smiling to himself. His imagination quickly presented his mind's eye with a delicious roasted Sen'ghen on a spit, presented to him by a suddenly less than clothed Wendy. *_SHIT!_* he thought, praying to himself he didn't say it out loud, *_she is Sirus's, she is Pan's, and she is possibly Tink's if Wendy swings that way. I in no way fit into that bizzar sexual heirarchy. Look! Leaves!! Chop the leaves!!_* 

She shook her head, feeling the sweat on her brow move with her, rolling her eyes at Corbin, who had suddenly begun to cut through the jungle, (or was it forest?), in front of him at a somewhat frantic pace. "Now, stop right now, 'cause I-I-I got a question to ask! Do you Lost Boys have to look at every bloody thing as something to eat or something to bludgeon or something to screw!? Can't you take a minute to actually look at something for it's beauty or it's magestic frigging nature? Fucking Christ in a sunday dress!" she snapped at Corbin, her gaze zipping up at the speck in the distance that was the bird and the beauty-impared wanker in front of her. He shrunk down, turning around slowly, like a child with his hand stuck in the cookie jar. 

"Wuh-- I guess...sorry?" Corbin replied, stunned at the outburst, not even thinking what it might have done to his silent-approach. "See...life like this," he said, waving his hands at the surrounding trees and vines, which had suddenly taken on a mildly claustrophobic feeling, "makes one just a li'l bit survivalist. Your sweet luxuries like asthetic flora or eye-candy animals take a back seat when your stomach is shrinking by the minute because you've been stuck in the mud'n'bush for days with nothing to hunt with but a pointy stick that's coated with shitter, you know what I mean?" 

"Oh, come on, boyo! That may have been the way when you first landed on this rock, but I'm sure your life in the bush didn't kill you since you're here yapping. And besides, life doesn't look so goddamn strapped at Jungendstadt, you don't all look like starving Etheopians!! You hunt those Sphinx things! You fish for bloggin' sharks! So me, between running from jaguar-sized bats or gigantic mythical lion-ape things, I look!! At things! Actually look at them," said Wendy, shifting uncomfortably, her angry rant dying into a quieter ramble. She knew that aside from looking at things, she also listened. The jungle was quieter. She could still hear the far-off chatter of monkeys, and the humming of small bugs, but the calls of birds and the sounds of ground creatures had dimmed to a near-silence. That sudden realization vanished with the next few words she heard, pulling her back into the arguement she started head first. 

"If you did, you wouldn't have kicked Pan in the 'nads back on your first night here. And you wouldn't have had that deeeelicious meal of crap-hog on your way back to Jungendstadt," he chuckled. Wendy opened her mouth to retort, but quickly shut it, hunching over and pulling closer to herself. This wasn't an arguement she was going to win. Jerk or no, Pan was a fairly good looking savage, and she should have guessed by the way the girls were all being treated that he was a total shit. "You...haven't noticed the silence at all, have you?" 

Corbin cocked his head to the side, waiting for more talking, but heard only silence. Real silence. No birds or critters, or even monkeys in the distance. Something was definately amiss. This arguement with Wendy had totally yanked him off guard. "We should just stay put and wait for the oncoming whack." 

"The oncoming what?" asked Wendy, obviously not following him. Corbin smirked with some dread, rubbing a spot on the back of his head that brought back memories, ambiguous whack-related memories. "Hello? Oncoming whack? What the hell does that mean?" Wendy cut in to his little trip down bumpy memory-lane. 

"Well, we WERE trying to get close enough to let that sod know we were here on our own time table, but since we jumped right into a word fight, THAT plan waved guh'bye and went for a shit," sighed Corbin, looking around. Silence still hung in the air, but that wasn't what he was looking for. A shaking branch, a blowing leaf, something to indicate movement in haste. Wendy gave him an evil eye, not liking what he was insinuating. "I'm not laying blame, we both hopped on the blab-boat of free will, but now that we've lost the edge of surprise and silence..." 

"Wouldn't have mattered, Losty-Losts," said a raspy voice from the trees surrounding them, a voice like sugar and spice and broken glass mixed together, a trap with the guise of innocence. Corbin's head snapped up and was met with a face-full of heavy chain & vine net. The unseen one had hopped over the nearest line of trees against the sky, dropping quick and wide, trapping them both. Corbin let out a groan from below the net, sinking underneath its weight. Wendy shrank down beside him, her own strength sapped by the previously griped-about hike. She jerked her arms, struggling to free herself, but halted as Corbin let out a sharp yowl, conciousness being bludgeoned from him in one sharp stroke. She moved her head up inside the net, the chain pulling at her har as she did so, looking up at her assailant. 

"Haw-heehee! I already knew there was tresspassers stress-passin'. Oops, watch yer head," said the figure hidden behind the close links of the net. Wendy almost got out her coarse reply before a blow to her forehead sent her into a creeping, inky darkness. He tossed the snapped tree branch he had used to knock them out into the jungle, letting out a high pitched groan to his unconcious guests. "Shiiit, I should have marched 'em back to my spot and THEN knocked their 'bollocks' out."   


->>>-   
  
  



	45. Spider's Web

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Wakenzee-uppen time, muff-baby," said the erie voice as Wendy awoke to a splash of cold, dirty water, grains of wood and dirt clinging to her nose, just between her eyes where she could only catch a haze of it's shape. Wendy sputtered and shook out of her concussion and unfocus, scrunching her eyes closed to shake the last tendrils of darkness from her mind. She slowly lifted her heavy lids, gazing up at the star filled night-sky. She propped herself up on an elbow, finding her hands were tied. Shifting onto her knees, she looked around for some way to free herself, and immediately locked eyes with the sociopath known as Spider. 

He was of average height, perhaps 5'7", and had a surprisingly fair complexion. His head was completely shaved bald save for a long strand of black hair that jutted out stiffly at least two inches from the point of his non-existant hairline before falling limp. Under the tight brow was a pair of deep golden eyes, shining with spirit or, more likely, insanity. Under his right eye was a tattoo of some kind, a small twisting glyph, inked in red. He wore a mad grin under his long nose, which was pierced with a bull-ring. A scragly goatee was slowly growing on his pointed chin. 

Before her eyes could further roam over her captor's visage, he unsheathed a long, gunmetal gray samurai sword and brought it down swiftly, severing the bindings that had held her hands together while she was unconcious. Wendy let out a squeek, flinching away from the horizon-curved blade as it passed mere centimeters from her nose, the airstream following the sword blowing the grit from her nose and face. She opened one previously-scrunched eye and took a look at her wrists, which didn't show the slightest sign of rope burn. She opened both eyes and groaned inwardly as she saw what had bound her. Her restraints weren't ropes at all, but two dead garden snakes, sewn together tail-to-mouth. 

"Sorry 'bout just conking you out of the shit, girl-lee-lie," Spider said, humming to himself as he spun around and walked over to where Corbin was tied to an old wooden chair with similar bindings. Wendy looked Spider up and down, wincing at what she saw. The back of his head featured an oily queue made up of dreadlocks, recently dead snakes, and what looked like steel wire. His head rested atop a smooth, bare back, the skin of which was pierced at both shoulder blades with heavy-looking iron rings. He was muscular, but thin at the same time, like a pumped up skeleton. He wore several leather belts around his lower abdomen and thin waist that held up baggy, dark brown pants. The pants were tucked in to metal shackles that topped his rock & bolt-studded leather boots. " 'at's just the usual wel**come**-in-your-mouth I extend to my guests, fuckers or no. Youuuuuuuu, in particulouso, don't seem like an enemy of mine." 

"_Why_--" Wendy started, surprised by how hoarse her voice was. She must have been out a while, her mouth was dry as a desert and her throat felt raw. Glancing around, she found a truely surreal home. One continuous wooden platform with the occasional branch sticking out, similar to Jungendstadt, made up the base of his home, bamboo railings encircling the edges. Animal carcasses and human bones were tied or nailed to any low-hanging branch from nearby trees. A long-dead grizzly bear, a sizable section of it's throat missing, lie in a corner, it's fur matted and pressed. Wendy gasped as she realized that she was looking at Spider's bed. Her eyes roamed his platform of a home, seeing an eclectic mix of bric-a-brack everywhere; cds and gaslight lamps, tree clippers and crossbows, a few hollowed out pieces of modern machinery and some obviously customized antiques. She let out a gasp as she saw a grisly experiment of Spider's. It wasn't the severed human hand, nor the rusted iron mechanics it was wired and stitched to. What made her gasp was the fact that the hand was slowly opening and closing, grasping of it's own volition. She swallowed, trying to muster up some moisture and keep down some bile, and finished her question, "whu-- _ahh_, why don't I seem like an enemy?" 

"Well, for one," he said, turning away from Corbin to her and pointing his sword, "you're an obvious outlander, you can tell from your clothes and your smell. You stink of gasoline and silicon and fake, you're an image of progress going backwards, world like. You're from a city, the stench is soaked into you. And outlanders can't hold a gaaaddamn candle to me, wiggideejiggit, especially city out's landers." 

Wendy looked at him, the glare across her face hiding her immense curiosity, and he returned her gaze with a hint of dementia in it. The way he spoke was fragmented yet smooth, halting at a fast pace, smooth yet dangerously jagged. He sounded like a person who'd taught himself English, tweaking it and twisting it throughout life to fit boring solitude. "If you want, I could take you for an enemy," he said. She blinked and looked at him, abandoning her thoughts on his particular style of speach for some other time. He continued, "see, the last pirate, ass tick, that came anywhere near my space got nailed up to a friggin' tree by his feets and got his head chewed to mush by animals. If that's what spins your wheel, gives you a little tingle in yon tighty pantsies, I'll be happy to oblige, just say th--" 

"NO, _Christ an' blimey_....that's okay. I'm a friend, I'm a friend," Wendy replied quickly. Spider shook his head again, slicing the snakes from Corbin without even looking. Wendy flinched, fearing his katana would miss the snakes and sever something far more vital. It didn't. Wendy sighed, shaking her head. She closed her eyes, her head rocking in slight dizziness. She felt a pang of queasiness. Opening them, she found her gaze involuntarily drifting to the lethargic but none-the-less moving undead hand. 

"You aren't friend," Spider replied casually, steering the tip of his sword under the halved snakes, his lips pursed and his eyes open wide, making a weird face to disolve Wendy's tension, or possibly add to it. "I don't have friend. Not something useful." He flicked his wrist and sent the snake pieces sailing over the railing. Wendy grimaced as her stomach did another flip-flop, and she scratched her head. 

"What do you mean, not somthing useful?" she asked hesitantly, crawling forward a bit then sitting one knee up, ready to spring up at the first sign of danger. Spider ignored her, looking at Corbin's unmoving form, then quickly spun around and walked over to an ancient-looking clay bowl. Grabbing it's sides, he walked over to his other guest and stopped curtly in front of him. 

"Friend isn't something I can hunt with, it's not something I can eat, rarely something I can fuck. I like innnntelligent conversation often, but you bring someone here and all they can do is freakify at my various bobbles; and as for companionship...well, I have thumb wars with Lefty if the occasion should spring upon the minute," he replied nonchallantly. Wendy furrowed her brow. 

"Lefty?" she muttered inquisitively. He nodded vigorously, his hair bobbing, and he slowly hitched a thumb at the undead hand. 

"Lefty!" he smiled widely, revealing disarmingly white teeth. Wendy would have thought his teeth would be grungy from his obvious lack of consideration for the 'small' things in life like brushing. He turned back to Corbin once again and heaved the bowl's contents at his face, yanking him from unconciousness. The startled Lost Boy jerked upright and looked around quickly, scanning the area and wiping his face with his hands. He calmed down when he saw Wendy alive and fine, staring back at him with slight concern and a slight sparkle of humor in her eyes. 

"Do you really have to wake him, and me, up with bloody freezing cold dirt-water?" Wendy asked annoyed. Spider stiffened up and turned around, his queue swinging, and started to give her a thoughtful look before he changed it to a squinted one. His strange eyes, the open one anyway, locked with hers. That eye, the deep black pit crowned by a golden iris, was so hypnotizing, so captivating. If the other eye had been open, Wendy would surely be under his spell like a cobra to a flute-player. 

"Well, there were/are/is two liquid options avail-ab-able for your waking pleasure; this 'freezing cold dirt-water' or a few sun-up's worth of piss'um from the **latrene-hole** over there," he said conversationally, pointing to a filthy hole in a tree trunk. Wendy coughed, disgusted at the filth encrusted hole, and wiped her face with her hands repeatedly. She looked back to him when she was done, only to find his face right infront of hers with barely any room to breathe. "So, I think you like my choice, right?" 

"I know I do. She's got a little problem appreciating things," Corbin said, cutting in before she coult speak her mind on the amazingly freakish hermit that was their current host. "We appreciate your time and patience, Spider. I take it you already got word on what Pan wants?" 

"Ahh, ah-hah, yes. Pussyfart, a.k.a-hole Xander, told me over tea and horror-inducing chat, although by tea I mean mild thwacking," Spider said excitedly as he walked over to a rusted out 1800s safe and took out, of all things, a can of Pepsi. Wendy grimaced at his profanity, then almost did a double take at what she saw in front of her. "Don't worry, I didn't pin his tuchas up any little where, I just got him and his wolf together for some one-on-one time. You'll find them just off the route you intruded on, tied up in a 69 sucky-sucky position. Ahh-heeheeheheh." 

Corbin nodded slowly, a half worried/half disturbed look on his face. He brought his hand up to feel the lump on the side of his head, raised from under his short hair. He looked to Wendy, who found she too had a bump. From the rather unnecessary blows to the head. 

"So why knock us out if you'd already gotten the news from Xander while we were searching for you?" asked Corbin. Spider chuckled and took a noisy sip from his Pepsi-can. Wendy stared at it like the can was made of solid gold. Pepsi. A tie to civilized culture. And he was sucking it down like a choking pig. 

"Well, I really didn't _feel_ like revealing the _secret_... _location_ of the Batcave," he replied, impersonating Adam West, then chuckled to himself. "And personially, I thought that you two tip-toe slowpokes coming in UNinvited was a bit fuckin' rude," he continued, sighing into the can. Wendy licked her lips. She could practically taste it herself. 

"Bat...cave?" asked Corbin, confused. Wendy shook her hand, indicating he should just forget it. He nodded hesitantly and turned back to Spider, unhappy that there was some piece of knowledge that he wasn't in on and at least two other people were. "Well then, you know the why and what, so all that's left is the will; will you join Pan and the Lost Boys in the war against that despot Hook?" 

"Hmm.....despot, eh?....so where's **de spot** that Hook's ruling?" Spider asked quizically. Wendy was unconciously inching forward now, gravitating towards that holy reminder of her true home. 

"He's currently still in NeverNeverland, but he's been sending men out the fringes of the island. The Lost Boys got hit when we went fishing, I heard the Tiger Tribe lost a couple of rangers to pirates, projectile weapons y'know. If you stay here you'll probably run into a couple of those scum-holes yourself, not that you couldn't handle them", Corbin explained, leaning back in his chair, "they're trying to expand, and take over Neverland. Pan's going to put a stop to it, the way he should have years ago when Hook butchered the Crabshell Tribe." 

"Fuck-a-ducking right, he should have done it back then!" Spider snapped, chugging back another noisy gulp of Pepsi, "all he did was take off a pissy little hand. So what? Now the crapp'n Cap'n has less variety when he wants to jerk off. Big deal. I say he should have pulled Hook's spine out by his head. Strung his crew up with their own entrails. Gag their screams with their severed coc--" 

"O-KAY, obviously he should have dealt with the pillock then, but he didn't, and he plans to now. So, you in or out?" Wendy cut in. Corbin gave her a quick look, not sure whether he was relieved or annoyed. 

Spider pondered a moment, biting at the metal of the can with his teeth as he thought, pulling off the tab and pulling it into his mouth with his tongue. Wendy and Corbin exchanged glances as he continued to think, forcefully chewing on the aluminum tab. Spider finally jerked his head up, his erie eyes wide, and spat out a small ball of crumpled metal. He tossed the empty can over the edge of the nearby railing, and smiled at them. "All the more chance for anarky!" 

"What the bloody hell did you do!?" Wendy shreiked, racing over to the railing and leaning over to watch the empty can sail down between branches. "Awwww, I'm thirsty...." she groaned to herself. She suddenly became aware of some movement behind her. 

"Wellity wellity wellity, does this come as part of the enlistment package?" asked Spider as he set his hands on Wendy's hips and rubbed up against her rear. Wendy's eyes bulged and her veins pumped up, her blood pressure sky-rocketing. 

"Corbin..." she said slowly, angrily, "get this stupid git the fuck off me right now or I will turn him into a eunich with my bare bloody hands." Spider laughed, and leaned over to whisper in her ear, pressing into her more. 

"Oooh, fiesty little English-fishwich," he snickered.   


->>>-   


"Shiiit," Corbin muttered, one hand massaging Wendy's shoulder, sore from exertion, "this isn't gonna go over too well when he comes awake." The two of them stood over the sprawled, unconcious body of Spider, who had recieved a fair dose of 'fiesty'. Corbin chuckled to himself, shaking his head, "well, at least he already said yes to joining." 

"Christ...does this mean we've got to carry the bloke?" asked Wendy, glaring down at Spider's prone body, a small erection evident through his pants. Corbin nodded, and Wendy smirked to herself. "Fine, but I get to call him The Inky Dinky Spider all the way back."   
  


->>>-   
  
  
  
  
  



	46. Blackrock Shock

->>>-][->>>-   
  


"Okay, _okayyy_.... get down and take his leg.... no, **watch out**!" Wendy sputtered, trying to keep ahold of the limp body of Spider, still unconcious from his impromtu encounter with 'feisty'. Wendy and Corbin had been trying to carefuly lower him down to the ground from his high loft in the trees for fifteen minutes, with very little luck. His continued stillness might have been due to the occasional collision with a branch on their descent. Spider's right leg fell from Wendy's grasp, sending his body off balance and his left shoulder upward into Corbin's stomach. 

"G'ack...! Sh-uhh..." he coughed, shifting the dead-weight higher into his arms, "shit." Wendy grimmaced and fought back a chuckle. She picked up his legs again, grunting uncomfortably. He was alot heavier than he looked. They continued down the series of wooden stair-wedges and thin bridges, turning and pivoting to steer Spider down. 

"So, any ideas on how to get him back to Jungendstadt and still make it back to see the other tribes and clans?" asked Wendy, peering around Spider's leg-shackles to see where she was going. His knee cracked against a tree trunk, making him groan. Corbin scrunched up his forehead in thought, debating how to be in two places at once. 

"We could tie Spider to one of our wolves, send him back with Xander; we could ride on one wolf to the next stop," Corbin replied, nodding to himself. He felt movement in his arms, and looked down, noticing a returning stiffness to their prone figure. Stiffling a giggle, he turned to Wendy. "I think he's dreamin' about you. Fishwich, _fishwiiiich_!" 

"Oh shaddap," she chuckled, staring down at the unconcious Spider. She grumbled to herself, "wanker." Looking back up at Corbin, she blinked slowly, grunting again as she heaved the KOed enigma's legs back into her grip. "What about Xander's...opinion of Spider? I take it he won't be too pleased at escorting the freak that tied him to a big dog's codger." 

"Oh, it'll be fine. I have seniorority, mind you," Corbin smiled. His smile turned to a frown as he stumbled over a vine on the bridge he traversed, sinking to his knees and knocking Spider's ass off the wooden deck. Spider let out a honk, making Wendy stiffle a laugh. Corbin kicked the errant vine over the edge and resumed his descent, grumbling to himself. "Sheez, mess is what this place is." 

"Bloody right," muttered Wendy. Watching the vine sail down between the branches sprung something in her mind. "I just got an idea...!"   


->>>-   


"Okay, just a little more to the left!" Wendy called down through the branches, leaning from one arm on a thick outgrowth on a tree. "No, the other left. How stupid are you? Your _other_ other left! That was forwards!" 

"Oh, lee' me alone! Just tell me where you want the damn wolf and do it already!" called Xander from below. He stood at the bottom of the trees, maybe 15 feet down, stroking his wolf's fur and staring upwards at Wendy and Corbin. "This better not hurt my boy's back, else its foot to ass time." Wendy shrugged, and pushed the still-unconcious Spider across the thick tree branch they both balanced on. She stared back down towards the Lost Boy and the wolf, which was lazily looking back and forth through the jungle, occasionally licking it's nose. 

"Alright, I think we got it. Corbin, if you'll help me here," Wendy said, turning to her company on this journey, who was standing on the branch shaking his head. He reached down and pulled one of Spider's legs towards him, while Wendy pulled the other towards her. Looking at each other, they rolled their eyes at the oncoming attempt. "Okaaaaay, and...push!" The two of them shoved the out-cold stranger off the branch, sending him tumbling down between the branches with his legs splayed wide. THWACK. He landed gut-first on a thin branch, a bileous cough escaping him. Wendy cringed, then did a double take as the branch snapped. Spider resumed his fall and landed in a perfect sitting position on the wolf's saddle. The large canine let out an angry yelp and bucked once, growling at the weight on it's back. Xander moved in close, comforting it and calming it down. Spider let out a tiny grunt through being out cold, and hunched forward on the wolf. 

"Okay, Xan-man! Take him away!!" called Wendy, laughing to herself and shaking her head. Xander stared at the KOed Spider with wide eyes, his lip twitching at his assailant; rubbing the wolf behind it's ear, he lead it off into the dense mess if trees, out of sight. Corbin stared back at Wendy, shaking his head. 

"Don't EVER try to get me on a wolf when I'm out. I'll wake up sounding like a pixie, _goddamn_."   


->>>-   


Wendy and Corbin had been riding their wolf for over an hour, through the dense jungle towards a specific clan's territory. Corbin's arms were wrapped around her waist, his body close to hers to avoid falling off, and nothing more (he assured himself). Wendy had been hesitant at first, but the thrill of travelling at the edge of wind was too envigorating to keep her down for long. She was smiling at the crisp air that blew across her face as they cut through it, the wolf's pants the only things staying with them for long. 

"Alright, we're coming up on Blackrock ground now. Slow 'er down," Corbin spoke into her ear, over the roaring wind. Wendy nodded and tugged gently on the wolf's scruff. It panted a little harder and slowly trotted to a stop, carrying itself lower so they could hop off. "Now, I've never met these guys before, but Pan's heard they'd be good to have in a battle against the Pirates. So let me do the talking, and this time really let me do the talking, and I think we'll be fine. Remember, these guys are survivalist and therefore, as you say, **shibbynistic**." 

"Chauvenistic," Wendy corrected him. Corbin waved her off, stuttering over dismissals. He walked over to a set of black-painted rocks, marked with tribal images of claws and thorn-rings. He picked up the two rocks and noticed they were attatched by chains, which joined together and trailed off into the thick. He shrugged and knocked them together, letting out a loud clacking sound, hopefully to get the attention of the locals. Looking around, Corbin wasn't quite sure WHAT to expect. Wendy looked around too, expectant of something. Hopefully not a net and a concussion like last time. 

"_Tro'o kei_..... you're not from around here," said a raspy voice from the shadows of a tree, the accent unplacable. A scraggly teenage figure lept from the dark recesses of the branches onto the chain, an egyptian looking scimitar in his hand. He had long black hair that looked dirty, and a pair of animal-hide overalls on. Corbin stepped forward, bowwing slighlty. 

"No, we're from the Lost Boys clan, over y'or," he replied, pointing towards Jungendstadt and smiling. "We're here to propose an offer. A pairing of clans, if you will, against a common enemy." 

"_De_, _Schuuben_ Hook, you mean," said another figure from a higher branch out of sight. Corbin looked up, startled, and nodded. "Yuh-huh, figured as much." The figure moved from the shadows and climbed quickly down the branches, hanging lazily and staring at Wendy. A long, curved dagger was tucked into his belt, which held up a pair of baggy pants below a bare torso addorned with red and black war paint. "You want us to join you, go under Pan and fight the _shuuis_. The pirates." 

"That would be the long and short of it, yes," answered Corbin, taking a step back and smiling. The two looked at each other and grinned, hopping down onto the ground, becoming eye level with Corbin. A third stepped from around a tree behind them, his hair cut short and his grungy clothes hanging loosely. 

"You know, Blackrock fancies it's privacy," he said cooly, detatched. He ran a thumb over a sharp looking hook on a long handle, which dangled from his belt on a leather tong. He glanced up at his clan-mates, smirking with chipped teeth. 

"Blackrock doesn't much like _tro'o keis_, either. Intruders," replied another filthy figure who stepped out from behind the rocks, a short one this time in nearly black-with-dirt clothing. He held a serrated pike in his stumpy hands. Wendy turned to Corbin, her brow furrowed in distress. 

"Ohh, **shit**," Corbin whispered, taking another step back. Wendy let out an inner wimper, trying to keep a brave face infront of four raggedy weapon-carrying hillbillies. Corbin's fists clenched, and Wendy noticed his shuriken slowly started twirling on its axis. 

"Shit indeed," smirked the first, spinning his weapon in his hand, "shit inDEED." Corbin closed his eyes, shaking his head as he tensed his frame and took in a breath. 

"I take it you won't consider the offer?" he said sternly, his jaw tight. The four laughed and began to advance, weapons ready. Corbin nodded, and exhaled slowly. Suddenly, he sprung into action, launching his shuriken from his gauntlet. It shreiked through the air, ripping through the first Blackrock goon's throat, sending him sputtering onto the jungle floor. It returned to his gauntlet, and he jumped up to launch a kick towards the closest thug. The three let out a series of foreign curses and began swinging their weapons. Corbin landed, his gauntlet taking the brunt of one swing, knocking his shuriken out from it's launcher and sending him to his knee's from the impact. 

Weny grabbed a tree branch and spun around, cracking it into the ear of the short Blackrock goon. He cursed as a cut opened up below his temple, and lashed out with a kick to Wendy's stomach. She folded over, the wind knocked out of her, where she was sent sprawling onto her side by Corbin's flying body. Two of the Blackrock goons had given him a major kick to the side, sending him into the air. The two Jungendstadt reps rolled over and faced their attackers from the ground, scowling. 

"_Aww_, _piu-et ja_, heheheh. They don't look too happy, do they?" asked the short one, wiping the side of his face with his wrist. The other two shook their heads. "Ugh, we don't look too happy either. You *killed* a Blackrock, glove-boy. And you fucked up my ear, gutterslut." 

"I think the bitch'll have a differant look on her face tonight when we get her back to the grounds," sneered another one, grabbing his crotch and shaking it at Wendy. Yeah _çebe_, over an' under, round and round..." 

"Somebody say **rounds**?" said a familiar voice from the darkness. Before the Blackrock goons could even raise their weapons, the sound of an automatic weapon cocking filled the air, followed closely by several gunshots in quick succession. The Blackrock clan members convulsed in the air as hot lead ripped through their grungy hides, leaving them lifeless and falling to the red-spattered jungle floor. The short one let out a small groan as air escaped his now preforated lungs. 

Another burst of gunfire erupted from the jungle, spraying holes across the dead body. Wendy cringed, feeling sick. "Showed that muthafucker," said the familiar voice, and Wendy knew who it was, even before he stepped out from the shadows of the trees. 

"John Hildered, at'cher service, sis!"   


->>>-   
  
  
  
  
  



	47. ANNOUNCEMENT

**To Da Fans of Pan...**   


Its been months since I uploaded new chapters, or even ANY work at all. Waaayyy too long, especially with the cliffhanger I left you anxious over. So lets dispell some myths and rumors that may be floating around... 

1) Pan is not gone. I intend to **finish** Pan and move on to other, equally bold projects, both in writing and other fields. Pan will continue to be online until it's been completed and even then, it's not leaving. When the story's completely finished, and I'm about 80% through writing it, it'll be showcased in a site of its own, which'll include concept sketches, extras, crap like that ;) So, to repeat: _Pan's still around!!_

2) I am alive, despite the bumps, bruises, and impalements I've suffered over the past while. Living conditions, social arrangements, health status, its all been swirling the drain. Life's been going up and going down more'n Christina Aguilera's insert dirty comment here>. Until life smooths out some, Pan may continue its SUPER irregular schedule, but it will be uploaded. See #1. 

3) A hiccup is an inbound burp! 

4) Any fans of the band SevenCell, bad news: we're goin on hiatus til McCamfree can afford some new gear. Dumb little shitter, (he knows we love im)   


  
**Sincerely,**   
** _ Punko McMac_**


	48. UPDATE: TURNING POINT TIME

**TURNING POINT TIME**   
**10/26/03 Update On The Situation**

  
  
  
  


_AAAAAaaaalright, lets get this show on the road._   
TO ALL THE FANS AND BEGRUDGING HANGERS-ON, 

I am still alive. 

This, in itself, is news to many of you. It's true. Upon further inspection, all ten fingers are in working order, my eyes are still firmly in place, and my brain is still backfiring in regular intervals. Life is continuing. So is Pan. 

I've been....indisposed for the past four months. Details aren't neccessary, just that I've renewed my resolve to get Pan done and get this site idea ripping along. I'm tired of thinking of Pan as a burden, I want to get people glued to their computers again instead of shaking their fist at it. I've grown as a writer and an artist, which'll hopefully come in handy in this whole "story" thing. And as you can see, my vocabulary is slowly overtaking the other portions of my brain. Stop it before it overtakes my sex drive, God, please. 

NOW, rather than just spout off "life and junk" as delaying-factors, here's whats on my plate. A gig writing a comic for THW, a job drawing another comic for the same site, coming up with art to sell for a dealer, packing up crap for a big move, dealing with specific peoples post-teenage angst (some welcome, others not). Thats my day to day deal, interspersed among fending off the gathering darkness of being crazy. I've got an immediate duty to both this site and the comic gig, both'll get fare shakes. Art, packing, and issues of Dawson-ian proportions come second. Bowel movements fit somewhere in there. Food, too. 

Now, its good to hear you're all still following intently, hovering over your screens with pinned-up voodoo dolls of Punko clutched tightly. Move the pins into my upper back, please, I need to even things out and too many of you are stickin your dolls of me in the ass. I want you all to keep reviewing, keep letting your views be known, and while you're at it, tell me what your favourite fairytale is....see my profile for why. 

Another thing's been brought to my attention by a doity stinkin' "liar" ;-) My german.....yyyeah, it IS fairly crappy. My fractured german was poor and rusty to begin with, but to try and piece it together with a third rate dictionary, that can be counter-productive, to say the least. SO, yeah, I could try to spout an explanation justifying the bad translation, but I'll just settle for an A for effort. :-) _liar_, once I get back in'a the swing of things, some help may be an order! 

If you wanna be skeptical about this latest admission of guilt/conviction to writing, be my guest to post your greivances on the review section. I will do my best to feign anger and rage at faults within my work. Hyuck hyuck.   
  
  
  


Bugger and cheese,   
Punko McMac 


End file.
